- Facilities
-
Programs
Pre-K (0-5 yrs)Youth (6-17 yrs)Adult (18+ yrs)
-
Parks/Beaches
ParksOutdoor Activities
- Rentals
- Projects/Planning
- Events
- About
We are happy to report that the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) has awarded the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting to the Park District of Highland Park for its annual comprehensive financial report for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2023. This is the 35th consecutive year the Park District has received the award. The report has been judged by an impartial panel to meet the high standards of the program, which includes demonstrating a constructive “spirit of full disclosure” to clearly communicate its financial story and motivate potential users and user groups to read the report.
The Certificate of Achievement is the highest form of recognition in the area of governmental accounting and financial reporting, and its attainment represents a significant accomplishment by a government and its management.
Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) advances excellence in government finance by providing best practices, professional development, resources, and practical research for more than 21,000 members and the communities they serve.
The Human Resources Department is revising the current Employee Handbook. Staff reviewed proposed revisions to policies impacting work conditions (safety and security), employee benefits programs, and time off benefits.
Staff reviewed the sponsorship program report comparing sponsorship and advertising partners and revenues over the last five years and 2025 plans.
Staff provided construction updates for the New Facility and Site Improvements at West Ridge Park, Club Pickle and Padel Facility project, the Recreation Center of Highland Park Construction projects, Sunset Valley Golf Club Cart Path project, Old Elm and Port Clinton Playground Improvements project, Rosewood Park Playground Replacement Design Concepts, Sunset Woods Park Improvements project, and Park Avenue Boating Facility North Beach Improvements project.
Staff provided a preview of the proposed process to update the GreenPrint Master Plan.
Staff provided a brief overview of the participant survey results for the ceramics program.
Staff reviewed the bid results for the 2024 Track Aerial Lift and provided a purchase recommendation.
Staff provided a construction cost update for the Club Pickle and Padel project.
Staff reviewed the proposed 2025 Budget.
Staff reviewed the process from 2014 to develop the GreenPrint 2024 Master Plan and compared it to the proposed process to update the master plan through the next five years.
The Park Board of Commissioners approved the 2025 Board Meeting Calendar, 2025 IAPD/IPRA Credentials Certificate, the 2024 Track Aerial Lift Bid Purchase, Ordinance 2024-11 Authorizing and Providing for the Conveyance or Sale of Surplus Personal Property, and the Truth in Taxation Resolution #2024-02.
Staff provided an end of season lakefront report comparing attendance and revenues and expenses at Rosewood Beach from 2022 – 2024. Staff also compared actual vs. budgeted revenues and expenses for Park Avenue Beach and Boating Facility Loyalty Memberships.
In 2015, Park District staff developed the District’s first Sustainability Plan to identify strategies to achieve sustainability goals and better coordinate with City-wide priorities. The 2015 plan has since been used as an internal document guiding practices leading to quantifiable achievements in District operations. Staff presented a progress report on recent sustainability efforts and shared draft goals and objectives for a new Sustainability plan.
Staff provided construction updates for the New Facility and Site Improvements at West Ridge Park, the Recreation Center of Highland Park Construction projects, Danny Cunniff Playground Resurfacing and Fencing project, Old Elm and Port Clinton Playground Improvements project, Rosewood Park Playground Replacement Design Concepts, Sunset Woods Park Improvements project, and Park Avenue Boating Facility North Beach Improvements project.
Staff presented the updated agreement terms between the Park District and the Homeowners Association for the Rory David Deutsch Tot Lot and the proposed playground and site improvements.
Staff provided a tax levy recommendation and the impacts for an individual taxpayer.
Staff reviewed the five-year health insurance cost trends at the District and management’s strategy to address rising costs while continuing to offer employees a quality health benefits structure.
The Human Resources Department is revising the current Employee Handbook. Staff reviewed proposed revisions to policies impacting military leave and bereavement leave, payroll and recording of hours worked, and employee conduct.
Staff shared images of construction progress for the new Club Pickle and Padel facility and site and presented the phased marketing approach to promote the new facility and membership since the grand opening has been delayed.
The Park Board of Commissioners approved Ordinance 2024-10 Authorizing and Providing for the Conveyance or Sale of Surplus Personal Property.
Staff presented the end-of-season report for Hidden Creek AquaPark. The report compared attendance figures, revenues from daily admissions, memberships and rentals, and operational expenses from maintenance and staffing costs over the last three years (2022 – 2024).
As a small token of our gratitude, all active, retired, and veteran servicemen and women and their immediate families residing in the same household* are invited to enjoy the following on Monday, November 11:
Thank you for your service!
*Military ID required.
Please Note: All Park District facilities are open for normal business hours on Veterans Day.
At the Park District of Highland Park, you will always receive resident rates plus an additional 15% discount on programs, memberships, and daily fees. Register in person with proof of active service to receive the reduced rate.
And sometimes we have to wait a bit longer than expected.
Construction has been underway for the Park District’s newest facility, Club Pickle & Padel, designed as the largest facility of its kind on the North Shore. Construction updates will continue to be posted on our website. We planned to open Club Pickle & Padel in time for our residents and local enthusiasts to seamlessly transition outdoor play to the new indoor, climate-controlled facility with state-of-the-art courts this winter. With the unpredictability of Chicago winters, our contractors have indicated that the safest and most practical way to complete the dome installation is to wait until we have favorable weather conditions in Spring 2025.
As you can imagine, erecting a 50,000-square-foot dome is no easy task. Not only will this extraordinary new facility include new mechanicals for heating and air conditioning, but it will also have the welcoming amenities you would expect, such as well-appointed bathrooms and showers, a pro shop, a lounge, and, of course, safety and security measures consistent with the Park District’s standard of care.
We know that the wait will be worth it, and once Club Pickle & Padel opens to our community, we know you’ll agree. We’ve taken great care to consult with pickleball and padel experts and have focused on the details that make a big difference to players: the court layout, the colors, the lighting—everything that impacts the game – creating a destination where area residents and players of all ages and abilities will feel welcome. You can read more about the Club on the Park District website.
In the meantime, the Park District continues to offer great indoor pickleball options at Deer Creek Racquet Club, including leagues, drills, clinics, private lessons, and court reservations. Indoor open play is also available at the Recreation Center of Highland Park. New pickleball opportunities will be announced in the coming months that you won’t want to miss.
We will keep you informed every step of the way, and we look forward to welcoming you all to the new Club Pickle & Padel in 2025.
This past weekend was an incredible one for our Deer Creek Racquet Club youth tennis players! We’re excited to share the achievements of six of our talented athletes who each brought home tournament victories. Their hard work, dedication, and passion has paid off and we couldn’t be more proud!
Each of these athletes put in countless hours of practice, showing resilience and focus both on and off the court. It’s exciting to see them excel and grow into confident players who are making their mark in the tennis world.
We’re looking forward to seeing where their tennis journeys take them next and to cheer them on every step of the way. Be sure to congratulate these champions when you see them around the club. They’ve earned it!
10U Blue Claims the championship with a dominant fall finish! Our 10U Blue Baseball team capped off an incredible 2024 season by securing the fall championship with a commanding 7-1 victory over Deerfield in the final game. Finishing the calendar year with an impressive 27-15-1 record, the team went undefeated in the fall season, boasting a perfect 10-0 run.
The road to the championship was full of excitement and nail-biting moments. In the first round of the playoffs, 10U Blue faced the New Trier Bulldogs in a thrilling extra-innings battle, pulling off a 9-8 victory. They then moved on to the semi-finals, where they edged out the Lincolnshire Lightning with a solid 5-3 win.
The championship game against Deerfield was the final highlight of their remarkable season. 10U Blue delivered a 7-1 victory, claiming the title and cementing their dominance in the fall league.
This team’s perseverance, teamwork, and determination throughout the season were truly inspiring. Congratulations to the players and coaches on a well-deserved championship!
The Recreation Center of Highland Park will be closed from Thursday, October 31, to Friday, November 1, to facilitate the electrical work required for the City’s Senior Center Project.
To ensure our valued members can maintain their regular fitness routines, our staff has arranged for FREE access to several area Park Districts’ fitness facilities during the two-day closure.
By Melanie O’Brien, Restoration Technician with our Natural Areas Department
When you think of natural areas, you might picture rolling prairies or peaceful woodlands. But did you know that right by our playgrounds and picnic spots, there’s a simpler kind of natural area? It’s called a no-mow zone!
Just as it sounds, a no-mow zone is an area where we let nature take the lead and stop mowing. This is the first step towards turning what used to be a neat, controlled patch of grass into a thriving natural space. It’s a conservation method used by everyone—from homeowners to the National Parks Service—and it’s something we’re embracing right here at the Park District! Some of our no-mow zones are well along in their transformation, while others are just getting started. So, why are we doing this?
The benefits range from the environmental to the economical. Reducing mowing areas will reduce fuel cost and consumption, as well as noise and air pollution. Areas of mature, diverse natural plant growth more efficiently retain excess water and prevent erosion. The presence of native plants offers important habitat and food sources for pollinators, birds, small mammals, and reptiles.
No-mow zones also protect some of our most cherished natural features. Take Sunset Woods Park, for example—8 of its 38 acres are a designated natural area of closed mesic savannah. In the midst of the playgrounds and trails, you’ll find over 200 native trees: white oak, swamp white oak, red oak, hickories, and sugar maples, to name a few. You might have noticed groupings of these trees growing within areas of tall grass and wildflowers. These trees benefit from the no-mow zones, which protect their bark and roots from mower damage. Repeated exposure of the vulnerable living tissue normally protected by a tree’s tough outer bark can leave a tree stressed and susceptible to a variety of diseases and pests. Be on the lookout—as part of the ongoing effort to preserve the health of Sunset’s trees, additional and expanded no-mow zones will be appearing soon!
At Larry Fink Memorial Park, you’ll see a mature example of a no-mow zone. Enveloping a playground and basketball court, a variety of native wildflowers, grasses, sedges and rushes have flourished. Among the tall goldenrod, you’ll discover unique native Illinois species—some you might recognize, and some you might not! Here, the pink heads of swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) nod below the tufted flowerheads of false boneset (Brickellia eupatorioides). Grass-leaved goldenrod (Euthamia graminifolia) and sneezeweed (Helenium autumnale) add to the yellow expanse, while blue vervain (Verbena hastata) contributes some much-needed violet to the mix. Established in 2018 by Natural Areas staff and volunteers, assisted by native seeding, plugs, and the occasional invasive species removal, the Fink no-mow is well underway.
Back north, the process begins again at Sleepy Hollow Park. Right now, you’ll only see small flags marking the area. But over time, a portion of Sleepy Hollow’s two acres of flatwoods will gradually expand, adding even more beauty and diversity to this small, 14-acre park.
The best part? You don’t have to travel far to witness these transformations—they’re happening right here in our own backyard!
You never know what winged friends you’ll find at the Preserve of Highland Park! On this episode of Wild Insights, grab your binoculars and join Mark on a birding adventure.