On Thursday, May 1, 2025, from 10am-2pm, the Park District of Highland Park is hosting an Illinois Parks & Recreation Association event called “Park Pursuit.”  The event is fun and competitive for park and recreation professionals from around the state.  

Approximately 300 participants wearing yellow event t-shirts will run through various neighborhoods and parks in and around central Highland Park, including downtown. Sixty volunteers in tan t-shirts will man check-in locations at designated stops on the course. Participants are encouraged to remain on sidewalks and use safe crosswalks throughout the event. The course is designed to cause little to no disruption to the community.  

The Park District of Highland Park is excited to host this extraordinary event, where recreation professionals around the state can enjoy fun competition and team building in one of North Shore’s most incredible communities. 

Spring is the time of year you may notice dandelions popping up in our parks.  You might wonder why the Park District doesn’t do something about all those yellow flowers.  Letting them bloom is one way we keep our parks at their healthiest. Though not a complete source of nutrition for bee pollinators, dandelions also fill in early spring food source gaps.

As part of our best management practices, we aim to avoid spraying lawn chemicals to eliminate what some might deem an unsightly nuisance.   Instead, the yellow blooms can open to their glory across our parks.  Once the grass is long enough, crews will mow the dandelions giving our parks a more uniform “green grass” appearance.  

The Park District of Highland Park was one of the first Park Districts in Illinois to adopt an Environmental Policy which includes maintaining our parks, facilities and natural areas in a manner that enhances and protects the environment by minimizing the adverse impact on air and water quality. This includes “Integrated Pest Management” practices that minimize chemical use in favor of other management efforts such as careful mowing, aeration and–in the case of dandelions–working with nature to provide healthy places to play.

Before heading out to your favorite Park District of Highland Park facility on Easter Sunday, check out our hours!

FacilitySunday, April 20
Centennial Ice ArenaClosed
Deer Creek Racquet ClubClosed
Heller Nature CenterBuilding Closed, Trails Open 7:30am to Dusk
Highland Park Golf Learning Center9am-6pm
Recreation Center of Highland Park (Fitness)7am-Noon
Recreation Center of Highland Park (Indoor Pool)Lap Swim 7-11:30am: Swim Lessons are rescheduled for Sat, May 24 and Sun, May 25
River's Edge Mini Golf9am-6pm
Sunset Valley Golf Club6am-6pm
West Ridge CenterClosed

Virtually every community has a leash law. In Highland Park, the law requires that dogs be kept on a leash on public property, including our parks. The law intends to protect the health and safety of the public and to protect your pet. A leash is commonly referred to as “Your Pet’s Lifeline” and protects your pet from harm and potentially harming other people or animals in the area. While you can train certain dogs to avoid the busy roads, stop and wait for their owner at corners, and even return to their side at command, there is always the chance that a dog could act impulsively. The safest way and legal way to walk your dog is on a leash.

Other Reasons to Always Use a Dog Leash

Become a Dog Park Member!

Dog Park Membership offers countless benefits for your dog. One of the most important benefits a dog park provides a dog is to exercise both his body and mind. In an open off-leash space, your dog has the chance to run around freely, chasing after balls and other dogs as much as his heart desires. He can socialize with humans and other dogs, which helps maintain healthy social skills. Like people, dogs are social creatures, and they enjoy being around their own kind. Your dog can practice his communication skills with other dogs and gives him practice reading other dogs. Practicing and mastering these skills helps your dog from developing fear or aggression problems around other dogs. This is especially true if you have a young dog that is eager to learn. And, not only is it fun for your four-legged friend, but it’s also fun for you! You can run around and exercise with your dog, practice off-leash training, talk to and bond with other dog owners, and enjoy the time watching your dog have the time of his life.

The Park District of Highland Park has three dog parks available to registered members:

Debbie Gottlieb Beitler Dog Park at Larry Fink Memorial Park – open year-round (701 Deer Creek Parkway)
A relaxed park-like atmosphere with two off-leash exercise areas, depending on the size of your dog.

Highland Park Golf Learning Center – open mid-December through mid-March* (2203 Skokie Valley Highway)
A large outdoor venue for your dog to run off some of that cabin fever energy.

Moraine Dog Beach – open mid-April through mid-November* (2501 Sheridan Road)
Moraine Dog Beach is scheduled to reopen this year with a new boardwalk and path leading down to the beach. Your dogs will soon be able to run in the sand and dip in the lake on those hot, sunny days.

Updates from the March Park Board Meetings

March 12: Workshop Meeting of the Park Board

The Lakota Group, aQity Research and Insights, and BerryDunn held a kickoff meeting for the Greenprint Master Plan Update on February 24, 2025 with staff and the Park Board Master Planning Project liaisons. Staff provided a progress update on the Master Plan progress.

Staff provided construction updates for the development of Club Pickle and Padel, the New Facility and Site Improvements at West Ridge Park, Park Avenue Boating Facility North Beach Improvements, and Sunset Woods Park Improvements. 

March 18: Finance Committee Meeting

Staff reviewed the request for proposals for the 2025 Hidden Creek AquaPark and Rosewood Beach Concessions License.  

Staff reviewed the bids via NIMEC (Northern Illinois Municipal Electric Collaborative) and Satori Energy for electricity rates for the entire District.

Staff would like to enter into a reciprocal agreement with the Glencoe Park District. Staff reviewed the proposed terms.

Staff reviewed and provided contractor recommendations for the Centennial Ice Arena Roof Top Unit Bid, the Centennial Ice Arena Dehumidification Unit Installation Bid, the Hidden Creek AquaPark Fence Improvements Project Bid, the Recreation Center of Highland Park Pool Filter Change, Pool Deck Renovation, and Pool Grate Replacement Bids.

Several maintenance vehicles and equipment have met their useful lives and need to be replaced. Staff reviewed the recommended vehicle and equipment purchases.

March 19: Regular Meeting of the Park Board

The Park Board of Commissioners approved the Rejection of the 2025 Centennial Ice Arena Roof Top Unit Replacement Bids, the Purchase of 2025 Capital Replacement Tractor, the 2025 Centennial Ice Arena Dehumidification Unit Installation, the 2025 Renewal of the 2023 Weeding & Landscape Services Bid, the 2025 Hidden Creek AquaPark Fence Improvements Project Bid, the 2025 Renewal of the 2023 Routine Grounds Maintenance – South Route Bid, the 2025 Renewal of the 2023 Routine Grounds Maintenance – North Route Bid, the 2025 Recreation Center of Highland Park Pool Filter Change, Pool Deck Renovation, and Pool Grate Replacement, the Dynegy Energy Services, LLC Electric Service Agreement bid via Northern Illinois Municipal Electric Collaborative (NIMEC), the 2025 Hidden Creek AquaPark and Rosewood Beach Concessions License Agreement with Judy’s Pizzeria, the Purchase of an Electric Transit Van, and Ordinance 2025-04: Authorizing and Providing for the Conveyance or Sale of Surplus Personal Property.

Staff evaluated the 2025 capital plan vehicle replacement list and determined that three 4×4 pick-up trucks have met their useful life and need to be replaced. Staff recommended purchasing three gas-powered trucks through the Suburban Purchasing Cooperative. While the purchases were under budget, the Park Board of Commissioners requested staff explore electric vehicle options.

Staff provided an annual report for the Recreation Center of Highland Park comparing budgeted vs actual programming revenues, expenses, and membership utilization.

The Park Board of Commissioners went into closed session pursuant to Section 2(c)1: The employment, compensation, discipline, performance, or dismissal of specific employees, specific individuals who serve as independent contractors in a park, recreational, or educational setting, or specific volunteers of the public body or legal counsel for the public body. The Park Board of Commissioners reconvened into open session and approved a six-month contract extension to the Employment Agreement for the Executive Director and a new Employment Agreement for the Executive Director.

For kids, some of summer’s most wonderful adventures happen outdoors. In the woods. On a trail. At the beach. Around a campfire. At your Park District, all of those sights, sounds, and experiences are possible at our popular Nature Camps. Registration is in full swing, and these camps fill fast. (Girl’s Outdoor Challenge already has a waitlist!)

If you’re new to camp registrations, check out Allie’s Crash Course in Camp Registration, and you’ll be an expert in no time.

There’s plenty of information about these exciting Nature Camps, but we also get requests to put it all in one place. So, here we go. (No sunscreen required).

HIGH TIDE, LOW TIDE

If playing with friends on the beach along the shore of Lake Michigan, swimming almost every day, building towering sandcastles, seeing how the tides change the landscape, and finding newly uncovered treasures sounds like your kind of summer, then this is your camp.

Each week has a different theme that includes a local field trip, swimming lessons at Hidden Creek AquaPark, and fun activities like meeting live animals, creating one-of-a-kind artwork, fishing, scavenger hunts at The Preserve and so much more of what the Park District has to offer.

“One of the very special things that these campers get to experience at Rosewood Beach is seeing bullfrogs in the ravine… and hearing them sing!,” said Meghan Meredith, Program Manager at Heller Nature Center. Now there’s a memory that will last a lifetime!

High Tide, Low Tide is for rising 1st and 2nd graders. New this year, you can register for one week at a time, to fit your family’s vacation schedule. Register for four weeks or more and you’ll get a discount. But as you know, “Time and Tide Wait For No Man,” so sign up soon!

NATURE ADVENTURES CAMP

Eight great weeks await, each with its own nature-focused theme! And yes, this year you can pick the weeks that fit your schedule.

Designed for all kids ages 8–11, this camp is chock full of all the exciting activities that make summer camp so memorable. Encouraged by our experienced, caring counselors, every camper enjoys the healthy physical and mental play that inspires creativity every day. Outdoor fun includes wandering through the woods at Heller Nature Center and finding wildlife large and very small. Geocaching—those mini treasure hunts using GPS—is always a camp favorite. There’s lots of exploring at The Preserve and Danny Cunniff Park, learning about nature close up with unique and fascinating activities like pond dipping (don’t knock it ’til you’ve dipped!), fishing, and canoeing. We travel to some of the best indoor adventure sites for rock climbing and more on weekly field trips.

If being outdoors in summer means nature-based activities with a team of like-minded adventurers (rather than a team of sports enthusiasts), check out the wide world of nature that comes your way in this special camp. As Meghan says, “You never know what wonders you’ll find when you turn over that next log!”

OVERNIGHT ADVENTURES CAMP

Take your summer camp experience to the next level as you take on the challenges that come with the team building, fire building, life-skills building, and confidence building activities at the core of this 3-week camp for ages 11–14. Mark Bryant, Heller’s Naturalist and host of our popular video series  “Wild Insights with Mark Bryant” leads campers as they boldly go into the woods, tackle the Teams Course, climb the crates, discover their hidden strengths—leadership, communication, empathy, ziplining, axe throwing(!)—and prepare for the overnight camping trips in weeks 2 and 3.

Every exciting week also includes paddle sports at the Skokie Lagoons, tips and tricks of successful outdoor cooking—including those new fire-building skills—learning to connect with the great outdoors in real-time, and gaining a whole new perspective on the world.

The featured events are, of course, the overnight camping trips. This year, in week 2, we’re off to Pratt Wayne Woods, the largest Forest Preserve in DuPage County for outdoor exploring, bonding with new friends, and a fun night of live-fire cooking—and s’mores!

During Week 3 our overnight is at the beautiful Chain O’ Lakes State Park, with exceptional hiking trails, abundant fishing, and wildlife at every turn. Outdoor cooking, campfire fun, and creating lasting friendships are the hallmarks of why kids come back year after year.

Don’t wait. Sign up for these adventures before they’re gone!

You can find out about these camps, and dozens more, 24/7 on our website. Summer’s coming and our counselors are ready. All we need is you!

Until next time… See you around the parks!

Are you ready to write the next chapter for your Park District? Our parks, trails, and recreation facilities are more than just places—they are the heart of Highland Park. These vibrant spaces bring families together, offer children a place to play, provide athletes with grounds to compete, and allow everyone a chance to connect and find community. The Park District of Highland Park is excited to launch the New GreenPrint Master Planning project — a community-based process to continue enhancing the quality of life in Highland Park and respond to your needs.

The GreenPrint Master Planning team will gather resident ideas, aspirations, and concerns at the Egg Hunt events at Sunset Woods Park on Saturday, April 5 from 9:30-11am, and at the Recreation Center of Highland Park from 11:30am-1pm.

The New GreenPrint Master Plan is our commitment to ensuring that our beloved parks and recreation system continues to serve everyone, now and into the future. Your voice is crucial in shaping a future that keeps our community at its best.

At last Friday’s annual Champion’s Celebration, we honored incredible individuals and organizations making a lasting impact in our community. We are thrilled to share more about each of our award recipients—below, you’ll find articles highlighting their inspiring stories.

Pictured: Cal Bernstein, Park District Board President, and Brian Romes, Park District Executive Director

For more than two decades, Cal Bernstein has been a guiding light at the Park District and in our Highland Park community. This year, it is our great pleasure to present him with the award named for the past Executive Director of the Park District of Highland Park—the Liza McElroy Legacy Award.

25 years ago, Cal was well-known in our recreation department as a great coach of the Park District’s House-League Baseball Teams and the Travel Baseball League. Eric Golmon, long-time Athletic Supervisor for the District, has fond memories of those days. “Cal would always have his dad coach the kids with him. They were huge Cubs fans, and always wanted their teams to be called the Cubs,” Eric said. He continued, “The kids loved Coach Cal, and called his dad Coach Poppi. One of the first things the players learned from Poppi was a chant they used against opposing pitchers. Coach would yell “Cubbies” and the kids would answer “Woo”! So all the pitcher could hear was a constant Cubbies – Woo! Cubbies – Woo! It was great!”

Sports and coaching runs in the family. Poppi introduced Cal to baseball, took him to an infinite number of Cubs games and inspired a love of all things sports. Cal coached both of his sons, Joey and Jason, and they both went on to coach youth baseball leagues at the Park District. It’s a key part of the wonderful Bernstein legacy in Highland Park that has brought joy to so many people in the community.

Golmon thinks one of Coach Cal’s winning teams was called the Devil Rays. “People still talk about that team,” he said, “and everyone knows Jason Goldstein who went on to play at the University of Illinois and was drafted by the Dodgers in the 2015 MLB Amateur Draft.”

Cal’s love of baseball and his love for youth sports in Highland Park are an important part of his legacy at the Park District. Executive Director Brian Romes added, “Cal has always cared deeply about providing the best opportunities for young players in Highland Park.”

As a former member of the City of Highland Park Zoning Board of Appeals and as a charter member of the Highland Park Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), Cal has been dedicated to serving the community for many years. In 2007, Cal was elected to the Board of Park Commissioners, and for the past 18 years he has provided us with his unique insight, forward thinking, and bold leadership. As a Board member and currently as President—serving in that capacity for the very first time this past year—Cal has chaired the Finance Committee and a number of advisory committees. Beginning in October 2017, Cal chaired the Sunset Valley Golf Club Renovation Committee, overseeing the extensive 18-month, $7 million project that made the historic course a must-play destination for golfers. He has played a critical role in the success of the GreenPrint 2024 Master Plan as the Park Board liaison on the project team.

It’s impossible to overstate the importance Cal has had on the growth of the Park District, the programs and events we offer, and the impact his foresight and vision have had on the communities of Highland Park and Highwood.

Liza McElroy came to the Park District of Highland Park in 2009, having been the Executive Director in Winnetka for 28 years. Cal had already been on the Park Board for 18 months, and Liza remembers that among the many important questions Cal posed in her interview were the very direct ones about youth baseball. “Winnetka Park District had a parent-run baseball program,” said Liza, “but Cal was so passionate about the Park District running the house-league program in his community that he made it a point to make sure I was 100% on board with that and wasn’t going to change it. That was my first indication of how important the District’s youth sports programs were to Cal.”

“For Cal, family is first,” Liza said, “but the Cubs are right up there, as are his beloved Wisconsin Badgers! And, there was always equal time given to girls’ sports.” 15 years ago, for girls in middle school sports were not necessarily a priority, “but Cal and the other commissioners made it a goal to increase girls’ participation in sports.” For Cal, that included coaching his daughter Molly in basketball, and going to every one of her figure skating performances.

Girls sports continue to be a powerful force at the Park District, perhaps best exemplified by the Girls Play Strong program, developed by the Recreation Staff and championed by Cal, which is now one of the premier summer sports camps for girls in Illinois.

“When I think about Cal,” said Liza, “I think about how much he loves this community. He and our other Commissioners always put their personal goals aside and do what’s best for the community, for the kids and their families. That’s why his accomplishments will last. Because they made the community better.”

That goes well beyond sports, and deep into the long-term strategies that Cal brought to the Board. In 2013 the District had a Capital Plan. It was a good plan. But it wasn’t a Comprehensive Master Plan. Cal was the biggest advocate for that and he was involved from start to finish. Liza made it clear, “that Comprehensive Plan is one of our most important documents, and one of the main reasons the Park District continues to be successful year after year.”

Brian Romes added, “Cal has high expectations and always shows his appreciation for the hard work the Park District staff does. He often asks tough questions, but they are the right questions, and that’s the mark of a great leader.”

Those of us who know Cal, have worked with him and have watched him shape the Park District he loves, will understand what Liza thought when what was then called The Legacy Award was first developed during her time as Executive Director. “I remember thinking that one day Cal is truly the person who should be given this honor.”

All of us at the Park District could not agree more, and we’re so happy to be able to celebrate Cal Bernstein with the now appropriately named Liza McElroy Legacy Award. He is a true Champion.

Pictured: Luisa Espinosa-Lara, School Community Liaison, and Jessica Soto, Assistant Director of Recreation

De Padre a Estudiante at Highland Park High School is our 2025 Community Partner Award winner!

Family is a powerful force. The families who make up De Padre a Estudiante in Highland Park and Highwood work tirelessly to educate our communities, build bridges connecting cultures, create long-lasting relationships with people and organizations, and perhaps most importantly ensure that their children—students at Highland Park High School—can navigate the path to success in high school and college. That path is often filled with obstacles for parents whose own educational experiences in other countries do not match the requirements their students are expected to meet, making it harder to provide the basic knowledge of how things work in the high school system—things we take for granted having grown up here and come through that system—so they can support their kids during a critical time in their education.

Luisa Espinosa-Lara is the School Community Liaison at Highland Park High School. She, too, is a powerful force and a guiding light for families in Highland Park and Highwood. Since its inception in 2014, the goal of the De Padre a Estudiante program at HPHS has been to provide a social-emotional program for Latino parents. Luisa has been leading the group for the last 3 years. Parents have weekly 2-hour meetings at the high school, they bring in speakers for workshops, and host a book club. Hispanos Unidos provides babysitting for the parents who come to De Padre a Estudiante. The group members go on field trips to important cultural institutions across Chicagoland and attend state-wide conferences. They educate themselves so they can educate their students and other families. All are welcome, and everyone is better because of their efforts. Their story, their goal, and their importance to families in Highland Park and Highwood is much, much bigger than what we’re presenting here. These are kind, generous people. They are people in your community you should get to know.

Social media is an important communications tool for the group. Their Facebook page, HPPS de padre a estudiante is run by Luisa. It has 367 followers and provides a wealth of information, in Spanish and English, so parents can help their students be successful in high school.

De Padre a Estudiante, and Luisa, have connected with the Park District in deep and meaningful ways, bringing Latin culture to our programs and events, and bringing together people from up and down the north shore and the surrounding suburbs. The parents say that De Padre a Estudiante is their voice in the high school. Their voices are now heard across the Park District at the annual Día de los Muertos celebration, in our Spanish Immersion Summer Camp, and so many other programs and events. They bring joy to all of us at the Park District, and we’re grateful for that.

Luisa has also had a significant and long-lasting impact on the Latino community through her work on the Parks Foundation of Highland Park’s Board of Directors. Scholarship funds raised by the Foundation allow Highland Park/Highwood residents of all ages to enjoy the Park District’s athletic and recreational programs and summer camps. Of particular importance, the FYI Learn-to-Swim programs are available for qualifying Highwood families and cover 50% of the fees.

It is with great pleasure, and sincere humility, that we celebrate De Padre a Estudiante at Highland Park High School as our Community Partner for 2025.

Pictured: Katie Wiswald, Highland Park Bank & Trust Vice President, and Brian Romes, Park District Executive Director

Highland Park Bank & Trust is our Community Business Partner of the Year!

When bank president, Jon Levey, took the helm of Highland Park Bank & Trust, our local Wintrust Community Bank, 10 years ago, one of the first decisions he made was to engage with the Park District as our premier corporate sponsor.  As a result, Levey increased the Bank’s commitment to the District and Highland Park Bank & Trust became our first corporate champion. That support has been critical to the success of many programs and events we offer. We are profoundly grateful to Jon, the Bank and Wintrust  for their continued efforts on our behalf.

Jon said, “A healthy, thriving community almost always has as one of its anchors a really successful, healthy, and thriving Park District. The facilities and programs that the Park District provides are absolutely integral to the fabric—the quilt as it were—that is our community.”  As Parks & Recreation professionals, that’s our goal every day. Having a business partner as committed to the community as we are makes us a better District.

Personally, Jon has been intensely involved in all things Highland Park since moving here almost 25 years ago. “One of the main reasons we chose our house was because it backs up to the largest park, where our whole family could take advantage of being able to walk to the playground, use the courts, and enjoy the open space.” His son and daughter, now adults, were what we like to call Park District Kids,  participating in a wide variety of the sports programs at the District. 

Many of you know Jon because he has always been a strong proponent of community service. He is active in many Highland Park and Highwood community groups and organizations, including serving on the Board of the Highland Park Community Foundation— where Jon serves as Secretary of the Governing Board and chairs the Investment Committee—as well as serving on the advisory board for Community Partners for Affordable Housing, the board of the Anti-Defamation League Midwest, previously serving on the Steering Committee for Highland Park’s 150th Anniversary in 2019, as well as many other community and non-profit boards and committees. We appreciate that his dedication to the community has forged this important business alliance between the bank and the Park District.

“The dedicated Park District staff has done a tremendous job building first-class facilities that our community is proud of,” said Jon. “When you think of Highland Park, you think of the beaches, the tennis and pickleball courts, the multiple parks, green spaces, and walking paths, the sports programs for kids, the workout facilities for adults, our world-class public golf course—and that’s why the community is so connected to the Park District.”

We deeply appreciate those kind words, and we are proud to celebrate Jon Levey, Highland Park Bank & Trust, and Wintrust as our Community Business Partner of the Year!

Pictured: Tyler Jacobs, Park District Coach, and Jessica Soto, Assistant Director of Recreation

Our 2025 Coach of the Year is Tyler Jacobs!

The Park District’s travel baseball program is one of our best. It’s uniquely important to young players who truly love the sport. If you’re the parent of a ballplayer who is passionate about the game, Tyler is the guy you want coaching your kid.

Tyler is a Highland Park native. Like so many of you, he grew up in the parks. He played Baker Ball, coached by the great Marv Baker, and started playing travel baseball on the Park District team when he was 9 years old. Tyler said, “I had a bunch of great coaches when I was playing baseball, but one named Chris took an interest in our team and had a really big influence on me.” That’s all it takes. One great coach can change a kid’s life, and now that’s what Tyler is doing for the ballplayers on his travel baseball teams.

Troy Hoffman, one of our Athletic Supervisors, said Tyler has been working at the  Park District since he was about 16 years old, as a camp counselor and a coach. Tyler added, “I pretty much worked everything at the Park District, from flag football to Jr. Varsity Sports Camp and Varsity Camp — I’ve touched it all.” He also played varsity ball in high school and is a 2023 graduate of the Fisher College of Business at The Ohio State University.

Hoffman had some other things to say about Tyler that will give you an idea of why he is so deserving of this award. “He’s an incredibly dedicated, selfless coach who invests 110% of himself in the program. He’s always at the ballfield early, and he’s always the last one to leave. Tyler is driven to get the most out of his players, in the best possible way. He has a great way of being intense, of showing a player what he needs to do, and it just works. It’s hard to describe, but fun to watch. When it comes to being a coach, he’s excellent at it.”

In summer 2024, Tyler coached the Highland Park 13U White team. In the fall, he started coaching the 10U Blue team. And yes, his players are passionate about the game. Because that’s what they see in their leader.

Tyler said, “My favorite part of coaching is demonstrating a strong work ethic and being a role model for the players.” And then he adds, “I try to make them better humans, as well.” That’s why you want Tyler Jacobs coaching your kids.

It gives us great pleasure to celebrate Tyler Jacobs as our Coach of the Year!

Pictured: Elliot Richardson, Park District Coach, and Jessica Soto, Assistant Director of Recreation

Elliot Richardson is an important part of our successful sports programs here at the Park District, and we are so pleased to honor him with the award as our Volunteer Coach of the Year!

Elliot is originally from Morton Grove, and he and his family have lived on the Northshore for more than 15 years. He first got involved in coaching youth sports to spend time with his kids as they were growing up. Elliot coached baseball, coached his younger son in football for many years, and his daughter in the Highland Park girls’ feeder basketball program. Being a part of their lives on the football and baseball fields, and on the basketball courts, has been very meaningful to Elliot.

The summer of 2024 was a critical juncture for the Highland Park Youth Football program. It was relaunching its own program after participating in a Co-op program with Deerfield.  Elliot’s experience with youth sports programs has been essential to the success of that revitalization. “There are so many dedicated people at the Park District, on the high school coaching staff, at the Giants Football fund, and throughout the community who worked very hard to restart the Highland Park youth football program. I was just happy to be a part of it.” That’s a typically humble statement, but we know we could not have done it without him. Troy Hoffman, Athletic Supervisor at the Park District, has known and worked alongside Elliot since 2018. Troy said, “Elliot has been a great advisor for me personally, and especially for the athletic staff at the Park District. He really understands the dynamics of youth football.”

Why coach youth sports? “I really enjoy teaching and motivating kids and showing them how to be part of a team,” Elliot said. “It’s about bringing our youth athletes together, creating a positive environment, and helping them grow as players and teammates.” We couldn’t agree more. It’s what great coaches do. It’s what Elliot does for the kids in our sports programs. He continued, “I have also found families to be engaged and encouraging, which is so important to a young athlete’s success. We work to create a strong community.”

All of us at the Park District are grateful to have Elliot as part of our team. His knowledge, his energy, and his commitment to our youth sports programs make us a better Park District, and he’s been a wonderful, positive influence on young athletes in our community.

We are proud to celebrate our friend Elliot Richardson as Volunteer Coach of the Year!

The Park Board and project team broke ground on Wednesday, March 12, for the new recreation center at West Ridge Park. The center will feature a 10,000-square-foot gymnastics gym, a 1,500-square-foot dance studio, three state-of-the-art childhood enrichment rooms, a community gathering room, and an event lawn.  

“Together we are building an extraordinary recreation center, more importantly we are building community,” said Park Board President Cal Bernstein. “Residents of all ages will fill these spaces to build life skills, friendships, and lasting memories that will sustain for generations to come.”

Estimated completion of the new recreation center at West Ridge Park is early 2026.

Updates from the February Park Board Meetings

February 12: Workshop Meeting of the Park Board

Canceled due to the weather.

February 21: Finance Committee Meeting

Staff reviewed Ordinance #2025-02, An Ordinance Amending the Appropriation Ordinance for Fiscal Year 2024 that will transfer a total of $145,000 from Recreation Fund Item Type 610, Salaries and Wages to Recreation Fund Item Types 680, Cost of Goods Sold, 650, Maintenance & Landscaping, and 720, Capital Outlay, in the amounts of $36,000, $100,000, and $10,000, respectively; plus  a transfer of $20,000 from General Fund Item Type 610, Salaries and Wages to General Fund Item Type 660, Utilities; lastly, a transfer of $18,459.28 from Special Recreation Fund Item Type 620, Contractual Services to Special Recreation Fund Item Type 720, Capital Outlay. 

Staff reviewed Resolution 2025-02 to allow the bidding of electricity for the District from Northern Illinois Municipal Electric Collaborative and Satori Energy.  

Staff provided construction updates for the New Facility and Site Improvements at West Ridge Park, Club Pickle and Padel, and the Recreation Center of Highland Park (landscaping plan for shared parking lot located at 1207 Park Avenue West, emergency repairs due to flooding, and the proposal from Williams Architects to provide architectural and engineering services for Phase Two of the locker room renovation).

Staff reviewed and provided contractor recommendations for the Park Avenue Dredging bid results and the Larry Fink Tot Lot Renovation bid results.

February 24: Master Planning Committee Meeting

The Lakota Group (designers, planners, and communication experts), aQity Research and Insights (survey consultant), and BerryDunn (Recreation Services Assessment consultant) held a kickoff meeting for the Greenprint Master Plan Update.

February 26: Regular Meeting of the Park Board

The Park Board of Commissioners approved the 2025 Park Avenue Dredging Project Bid, the 2025 Larry Fink Tot Lot Renovation Bid, the New Recreation Facility at West Ridge Park Construction Material Testing Proposal, the Williams Architects Recreation Center of Highland Park Locker Room Shower Area Remodeling Proposal, Ordinance 2025-02 An Ordinance Amending the Appropriation Ordinance for Fiscal Year 2024, Ordinance 2025-03: Authorizing and Providing for the Conveyance or Sale of Surplus Personal Property, and Resolution 2025-02 Authorizing the Purchase of Electricity for Park District Facilities and Meters and Authorizing the Director to Approve a Contract with the Lowest Cost Electricity Provider for a period up to 3 years.

Staff provided an annual report for Heller Nature Center and the Rosewood Interpretive Center comparing budgeted vs actual programming revenues, expenses, and participant utilization.