This fall, it’s more than just a game—it’s a chance to build confidence, strength, and leadership through sports. Registration is now open for our Girls Fall Sports programs, including Basketball, Softball, Volleyball, and Flag Football.

Our leagues are designed to empower girls both on and off the field. Through teamwork, skill-building, and positive coaching, players gain more than athletic ability. They gain self-belief, friendships, and a strong sense of community.

Programs between in September/October. Register today!

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Explore the trails in a whole new way with our new app! This interactive augmented reality game provides nature-themed challenges on your phone as you walk along the trails. Download the app and Heller’s “Spring into Nature!” Mission, and you’re ready for action! Complete the fun, educational challenges, games, and puzzles to earn rewards and prizes—fun for kids and adults alike!

Join us on Saturday, May 17 from 10am-Noon for a special launch event where you can play the game, explore the trails, and win prizes!

Spring is here, and all around us, animals are waking up and getting ready for an exciting summer. Our bees are gathering pollen from the earliest flowers, and frogs and toads can be heard calling all around. Among this waking wildlife is a little arachnid that concerns us each year: the tick. Unfortunately, there will be more ticks this year. The surprising answer as to why actually has to do with acorns. The past years have been good for acorns, which is good for mice, which is good for ticks. This year, however, we are seeing fewer acorns, which means less mice. With a tick population lagging slightly behind this trend, this year we have lots of ticks with less mice to feed on.

In Illinois, there are typically two common tick types: the deer tick, which carry Lyme disease, and the wood tick. Deer ticks are small and hard to spot, so look out for rashes or bullseye shaped spots on your body. Wood ticks are larger, and while they may not carry Lyme, they are known to carry other germs that may be harmful to humans. 

There is a third tick to look out for this year. The Longhorned Asian Tick has been discovered in Illinois (the 20^th state they have been found in so far) and is considered invasive in the US. Currently, it is expected that the tick carries some germs that are dangerous to humans, but we do not know if they can transmit them yet. They are known to be dangerous to livestock and some pets. If you come in contact with a tick, immediately remove it—if you can, try to trap it (a piece of tape works) and keep it. Doctors can sometimes test a tick that bit you to see if there is cause for concern.

The Illinois Department of Health has posted some excellent guidelines for preventing tick bites:

• Use Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered insect repellents containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE), para-menthane-diol (PMD) or 2-undecanone. Always follow product instructions.
• Treat clothing and gear with products containing 0.5 percent permethrin. Permethrin can be used to treat boots, clothing and camping gear and remain protective through several washings. Alternatively, you can buy permethrin-treated clothing and gear.
• Check your body and clothing for ticks upon return from potentially tick-infested areas, including your own backyard. Use a hand-held or full-length mirror to view all parts of your body. Place tick-infested clothes in a dryer on high heat for at least 10 minutes to kill ticks on dry clothing after you come indoors.
• Shower soon after being outdoors. Showering within two hours of coming indoors has been shown to reduce your risk of getting Lyme disease and may be effective in reducing the risk of other tickborne diseases. Showering may help wash off unattached ticks and is a good time to do a tick check.
• Talk to your veterinarian about tickborne diseases in your area and prevention products for your pets and livestock.

Construction is in full swing, and key spaces like the reception desk, lounge, and restrooms are starting to take shape. We can’t wait to welcome you this August!

Before heading out to your favorite Park District of Highland Park facility on Memorial Day weekend, check out our hours!

Hidden Creek AquaPark & Rosewood Swimming Beach

Opening Day Postponed!

Due to the expected chilly temperatures this holiday weekend, Hidden Creek AquaPark and Rosewood Swimming Beach will remain closed through Memorial Day, Monday, May 26.

However, Rosewood Beach will still be open for passive recreation, offering a peaceful escape for the holiday weekend. Our dedicated staff will be on-site to oversee the lakefront and assist visitors with parking decal and beach pass purchases.

When sunny, warm days return, we look forward to welcoming you and your family and friends for swimming fun at Hidden Creek AquaPark and Rosewood Swimming Beach.

Purchase Pool Memberships Now!

Purchase Swimming Passes Purchase Lakefront Parking Decals

River’s Edge Mini Golf

Enjoy our challenging 18-hole mini golf course. Fun for the whole family. First nine holes are ADA accessible.

Learn More

Sunset Valley Golf Club

Everyone is talking about this golf course. Renovated in 2018, the multi-award-winning Sunset Valley attracts golfers from all over the Metro-Chicago area. The course’s breathtaking British heathland design and the relaxed vibe of the remodeled clubhouse make the club a unique destination for golfers and dining guests just wanting to take in the view.

Book Your Tee Time

May is National Bike Safety Month, and there’s no better time to dust off your bike, strap on your helmet, and hit the road safely. Whether you’re riding for fun, commuting to work, or just cruising through your neighborhood, practicing good bike safety is key to making every ride a great one.

Why Bike Safety Matters

Biking is a fun, healthy, and eco-friendly way to get around but it’s important to remember that cyclists are more vulnerable on the road. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), most bike-related injuries can be prevented with just a few simple precautions.

Top Tips for a Safer Ride

1. Wear Your Helmet. Every Time.
   • A helmet can reduce the risk of head injury by up to 85%. Make sure it fits snugly and sits level on your head
2. Be Seen and Be Predictable
   • Wear bright or reflective clothing and use bike lights, especially if riding at dusk or dawn. Always signal your turns and ride in a straight line.
3. Obey the Rules of the Road
   • Bikes are considered vehicles so stop at stop signs, obey traffic signals, and ride in the same direction as traffic.
4. Stay Alert
   • Keep an eye out for potholes, parked car doors, pedestrians, and turning vehicles. Avoid headphones so you can hear what’s going on around you.
5. Check Your Gear
   • Before every ride, do a quick safety check: tires inflated, brakes working, chain moving smoothly.

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

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.

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.

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.

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!

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!

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!