The Game Changes NOW!

Club Pickle & Padel officially opens for play Tuesday, September 2!

Before our official opening, you’re invited to our “First on the Court” Open Houses Friday, August 29-Monday, September 1 (see below for times).

Get an exclusive first look at our new 50,000-square-foot facility, take a tour, sign up for memberships and programs, take home exclusive swag, and play two of the fastest-growing sports in the world: pickleball and padel for FREE!
(30-minute court time slots, no reservations required, just drop in)

“First on the Court” Open House Dates & Times
Fri Aug 29 | 9am-Noon & 5-8pm
* Sat Aug 30 | 8am-Noon
* Sun Aug 31 | 8am-3pm
* Mon Sep 1 | 8am-Noon

* PLUS! Delos Therapy will be court-side on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday providing complimentary 10-minute therapy sessions for everyone!

📞 Questions? Contact us at 847.579.4200

This is a Big Dill. No, Really…Meet Our New Head Pickleball Pro!

JUSTIN DILL
Justin brings a unique perspective to pickleball, shaped by over 12 years of experience as a professional cricket player. His career in South Africa and the USA honed his skills, directly translating to pickleball with quick reflexes, strategic thinking, and precise hand-eye coordination.
Learn More About Justin>>

50,000-square-foot indoor complex with pickleball, padel, and year-round play!

Highland Park, IL – AUGUST 27, 2025 – The Park District of Highland Park is cutting the ribbon on Club Pickle & Padel, a new indoor sports facility opening its doors to the public on Tuesday, September 2. Located at 2205 Skokie Valley Road, the 50,000-square-foot venue offers residents and visitors a year-round destination to play two of the fastest-growing sports in the world: pickleball and pade

The design of Club Pickle & Padel emphasizes both player comfort and high-quality competition, with advanced LED lighting, climate control, and layouts that make it easy for players of all skill levels and abilities to get in the game.  Replacing the roughly 25 year old seasonal dome with  the new year-round, climate-controlled air structure allows for ideal playing conditions regardless of weather. 

The facility features:

• 10 dedicated pickleball courts built to professional standards
• 4 state-of-the-art padel courts with glass walls and turf designed for optimal play
• A spacious reception area for welcoming guests
• A stocked pro shop offering equipment, apparel, and accessories
• Snacks, beer, wine, and soft drinks available for purchase
• Modern, accessible restrooms, showers, and comfortable seating areas for spectators
• Private rental space for private parties, corporate outings and tournaments 

This transformative project comes to life thanks in large part to Ron Saslow, founder and managing partner of Thirty-5 Capital, a Highland Park native, athlete, and self-described “Park District kid.” Growing up, Saslow took part in countless Park District programs crediting local coaches for instilling the values of teamwork and sportsmanship.

Through his investment firm, Thirty-5 Capital, Saslow has focused on advancing sports technology and innovation, with a particular passion for pickleball. His proposal for the dome site, accepted by the Park District in January 2024, outlined the vision for Club Pickle & Padel and included a significant personal investment to help bring it to life.

“Pickleball brings people together in a way few other sports can,” says Saslow. “It’s inclusive, easy to learn, and fun for all ages. I’m proud to help make Club Pickle & Padel a place where this community can connect and play every day.”

Park District leadership sees the facility as a key milestone for the community. “We’ve heard from residents for years about the need for more indoor pickleball courts,” says Brian Romes, Executive Director of the Park District of Highland Park. “With Club Pickle & Padel, we’re delivering on that request and creating a destination that will benefit our community for decades to come.”

Club Pickle & Padel is now offering drop-in open play, court bookings, leagues, clinics, and special events for all skill levels. Membership options are available for exclusive perks such as complimentary or reduced fees, early registration, and priority booking.  Equipment is available on-site for rent or purchase.  

For schedules, rates, and program information, visit pdhp.org or clubpicklepadel.com.

About Thirty-5 Capital
Thirty-5 Capital holds a robust portfolio of investments in professional sports teams, leagues, and innovative technology-driven sports companies. https://www.thirtyfivecapital.com/

About the Park District of Highland Park
The Park District of Highland Park is in Highland Park, Illinois, a north shore suburb of Chicago and operates and manages approximately 800 acres of land in 44 park areas; and offers approximately 3,000 recreational and seasonal programs. Facilities include the new Club Pickle and Padel indoor facility featuring ten pickleball courts and four padel courts; indoor ice arena; indoor tennis complex; fitness center; nature center; 18-hole golf course; golf learning center; aquapark; beaches; boat launch ramp and yacht club on Lake Michigan. For more information, contact the Park District 847.831.3810 or pdhp.org.

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

*Hours for Club Pickle & Padel are for “First on the Court” Open Houses. For more information, please check it our here

The Recreation Center of Highland Park has been one of the premier facilities at your Park District of Highland Park for nearly 20 years. Through fitness fads that came and went, and workout trends that we refined and helped you incorporate into your personal routines, we’ve stayed an integral part of the community. We’re grateful for your support, and for the lasting friendships we’ve built.

Today, we’re announcing a significant change: we will now be known as Park Fitness!

Our new name highlights not only who we are, but who we aspire to be. Park aligns with our history as a major facility at your Park District, and also references our physical locations—just steps away from The Preserve, a magnificent 100-acre nature-based park full of walking and biking trails—and Park Avenue West that brings you right to our door. Fitness highlights who we are at our core: extensive offerings for physical health and overall well-being in a place designed to be a community hub—where social engagement enhances every workout in an inclusive, welcoming, caring environment. It’s a combination that makes Park Fitness truly extraordinary.

If you are new to the community, or the Park District, we invite you to see the transformation that our members have been watching over the past two years. The 5,850 square foot Fitness Floor has been redesigned to be more comfortable, and quieter, with an exceptional range of equipment that gives you more opportunities to create a personalized workout routine—on your own or with one of our expert trainers. All of the requisite machines and stations are here: treadmills, elliptical trainers, cross trainers, rowing machines, stair climbers, arc trainers, upright and recumbent bikes, plus a full line of strength and resistance equipment and an extensive free weight area. Whatever you’ve built your routine on, it’s here. And there’s more. Stages Studio Pro Plus Cycling. A Pilates Reformer Training Studio. A dedicated functional training space on the turf. 

Take a free tour. You’ll feel the difference from the moment you walk in.

Our popular Group Exercise program is another big reason why Park Fitness is not your typical workout place. Classes are held in the Gymnasium (that’s right, we have a full gym and a track), in the specialized Group Ex Studio, Mind/Body Studio, and Spin Studio. We have Aqua Fit classes—because we have a pool!—and we hold some group classes outdoors, where nature helps move your personal growth to a whole new level. Take a deep breath. That’s fresh air!

“Park Fitness is so much more than a name change,” said Jodi DiTomasso, our long-time Fitness Manager—who members all know as the heart and soul of the facility. “It represents a new era in our commitment to the health and well-being of the community. Our robust group exercise program features awide range of formats, from yoga to high-intensity interval training.” You can add these classes to your basic membership, or sign up for them as exclusive offerings. Jodi added, “Flexibility and variety are key to creating a routine you’ll stay with as you get healthier and stronger.” 

“Whether you’re shooting hoops on our two full-court basketball courts, swimming laps in our 6-lane 25-yard pool, or joining one of our group exercise classes, there’s truly no better place to meet friends and stay active together,” said Jodi.

From the warm welcome as you come into the lobby, to the friendly assistance from our team members with memberships, program registrations, and daily drop-ins, to the expertise of our instructors, Park Fitness will be the place where you connect healthy activities and socialization on the road to a better life. Start your journey today on our website, with a call, or a tour. 

Until next time… we’ll see you around the parks!

July is Park and Recreation Month, and this year’s theme, “Build Together, Play Together“, is all about celebrating how parks create spaces where everyone belongs. From quiet moments in nature to big community events, parks and recreation connect us, inspire us, and help us thrive.

At the June 25 meeting, the Park Board of Commissioners approved a resolution declaring July as Parks & Recreation Month in Highland Park, recognizing the many ways parks, facilities, and programs enrich our community.

Here in Highland Park, we’re proud to offer parks, facilities, and programs that make our community stronger, more vibrant, and more connected. Here are ten ways parks and recreation bring us together and ideas for how you can celebrate this July and beyond.

1. Creating Shared Spaces for All
   • Our parks and facilities welcome every age and ability, offering spaces where everyone can come together.
   • Family Swim Night is a perfect way to splash, play, and make summer memories with your loved ones.
2. Supporting Health and Wellness
   • Fitness classes, sports courts, and miles of trails help keep our community active and healthy.
   • Grab a paddle and play some pickleball at one of our 16 courts at Danny Cunniff Park.
3. Bringing Neighbors Together Through Events
   • Parks are home to annual celebrations that bring neighbors together.
   • Don’t Miss: Independence Fest our biggest event of the summer! Celebrate Independence Day with family activities, food, and community spirit.
4. Cultivating Environmental Stewardship
   • Our parks inspire everyone to care for nature. Volunteer programs, educational events, and conservation initiatives help protect our green spaces.
   • Help with a volunteer day or join a nature program at Heller Nature Center.
5. Creating Opportunities for Lifelong Learning
   • Parks and programs spark curiosity and creativity at every age.
   • Join a naturalist to at our Under the Sun event to explore what makes the sun unique through hands-on experiments and sunny art projects.
6. Supporting Mental Well-being
   • Our green spaces offer a place to relax, reflect, and recharge.
   • Take a walk or fish at The Preserve at Highland Park.
7. Fostering Inclusion and Belonging
   • From accessible facilities to welcoming programs, our parks are designed for everyone to feel included.
   • Try a new class or bring a friend to explore a park you haven’t visited before through our interactive map!
8. Encouraging Outdoor Play and Adventure
   • Adventure is waiting just outside your door. Whether you’re biking, hiking, or just exploring, there’s always something new to discover.
   • Make a summer bucket list of trails and parks to visit.
9. Strengthening Local Connections
   • Parks are the perfect place to meet neighbors and build friendships, whether during a casual meetup or a community project.
   • Host a picnic with neighbors in your favorite park.
10. Celebrating Community Spirit
    • Parks thrive thanks to the energy and involvement of our community.
    • Come cheer on our summer campers as they take part in the World’s Largest Pickleball Lesson! It’s a great way to celebrate recreation and community together.

This July, we invite you to explore, play, and connect. Together, we’re building a community where everyone feels at home. Let’s celebrate Park and Recreation Month and everything that makes Highland Park special!

We’ve got great news for golfers and everyone who loves to enjoy a delicious meal while watching a gorgeous sunset. Intrigued?

Today is opening day for the brand new restaurant at Sunset Valley Golf Club. If you’re a golfer, you already know that the unique British Heathland design makes it one of the finest, must-play courses in Chicagoland. And now, with the opening of The Clubhouse at Sunset Valley, we are a destination for Highland Park foodies who appreciate enjoying chef-designed meals and obsessively good service, all provided in a unique environment.

The Clubhouse is the latest creation of Relish Catering Kitchen, well-known for its “from scratch” approach to creative cooking. Their innovative, elevated versions of your favorites—juicy burgers, specialty sandwiches, decadent salads—are available for a quick lunch inside or at the bar, and we make sure every golfer gets the attention they deserve at a classic 18-hole course. Beyond the best versions of everything you’d expect to find on the menu, prepare to be surprised by the unexpected—Pulled BBQ Chicken and other seasonal chef specials. Our reputation for extraordinary Club-Level service is now matched by an exceptional dining experience.

What sets this restaurant apart from anything else on the North Shore is the opportunity to dine outdoors, enjoying the dramatic, panoramic views the course affords. Our expansive trellised patio and veranda include comfortable seating and conversation-enhancing fire pits. It’s a relaxing spot for lunch and dinner, and the stunning sunsets are an off-menu extra special treat when sipping your favorite beverage or one of our signature cocktails.

The Clubhouse is also available to book for your special event, another specialty of the experts at Relish. The combination of a custom designed menu and white-glove service always exceeds expectations and garners rave reviews every time. The staff at Sunset Valley is ready to talk to you and walk you through this beautiful venue.

It’s opening day… and you are cordially invited to experience The Clubhouse at Sunset Valley Golf Club. We’ve designed it for your dining pleasure. Let us show you to your table!

The Clubhouse at Sunset Valley Golf Club Hours:
Mon: 8am-8pm
Tue-Thu: 7am-9pm
Fri-Sat: 6:30am-9pm
Sun: 6:30am-8pm

1390 Sunset Road
Highland Park, IL 60035
(847) 432-7140

Before heading out to a Park District of Highland Park facility on July 4, be sure to check our hours listed below. Learn about Highland Park Independence events here.

Part of the charm of living in Highland Park and our neighboring suburbs is being outside, enjoying the beautiful parks, green spaces, walking trails, and, of course, the beaches along Lake Michigan. The Park District of Highland Park is responsible for maintaining over 750 acres, including the park lands, playgrounds, ballfields, open spaces, beaches, and the majestic bluffs that add to the quality of life for our residents and visitors. It’s a responsibility our dedicated team in the Parks Department takes very seriously, and the results of their efforts are on display every day, week after week, season after season, all year round. While you might not notice them, the impact of what they provide for the District and the community is undeniable. In a previous story, we told you a bit about the people who create the plans and projects. Now, we’d like to introduce the people who make sure that wherever you go in the Park District, you and your family have a great time in the great outdoors.

The team is led by our Director of Parks, Dan Voss, who has been in the business of keeping things green and growing for 28 years. “Essentially, we’re responsible for the maintenance of anything outdoors at the Park District,” said Dan. “I’ve always loved working outside, and what we all do here is fulfilling because it benefits the whole community.” You’ll hear that a lot when you talk to Parks & Recreation professionals. It’s a big part of why pros like Dan and the members of his team have been with this District for so many years.

The team includes Parks Operations Manager Brian Dumas, Parks Landscape Manager Glenn Nance, and Natural Areas Manager Liz Ricketts. They are all quite modest about their roles, but when you dig in a little deeper the extent of what each of their jobs entails keeps expanding.

Glenn says, “I oversee grass, trees and plants.” Sounds simple enough until you look around and realize how many trees he’s actually talking about. For example, included in the renovation project that’s being completed at the Recreation Center there are 81 new trees. Plus 470 new shrubs. Glenn, Liz, and Dan worked with the projects department to come up with a plan that would be beautiful year-round. “Even though it’s next to The Preserve, using a lot of prairie plants just wasn’t feasible because those plants won’t present well year round that close to a road,” said Dan.

Glenn is also responsible for the large fleet of park district vehicles and all of the landscape-specific equipment, from mowers to trimmers. He’s been in Parks & Rec for 25 years, and his expertise is helping to create the future of how our park spaces will be maintained. “We’re planning for more electric vehicles, and that also means planning for charging stations across the District,” said Glenn.

Along with Brian and Liz, Glenn manages a support staff of 26 people with the myriad skills required to handle every job, large and small, from keeping water fountains flowing to keeping healthy trees growing.

Proper restoration techniques are a fundamental part of natural areas management in the Park District. Liz Ricketts gave us an overview. “The natural areas program manages  350 acres across the district. Of course, we have large and small parcels, more significantly at Heller Nature Center and The Preserve of Highland Park. There’s a wide variety of habitat types within that acreage as well, and our management of those areas strives to establish and maintain high-quality ecosystems that support our native vegetation, which in turn supports the animals and pollinators that rely on them. We’re fortunate to have support and help from volunteers in the community, from school age kids and teens to adults, families, and local organizations including Eagle Scouts.”

If you want to find out more and be a part of managing and maintaining the health of your parks and green spaces, talk with Liz. All are welcome!

At Heller, Highmoor Nature Preserve, and The Preserve, the Natural Areas staff and volunteers also monitor bluebirds and rare plant species like the dog violet (Viola conspersa). What makes a plant rare is often the habitat that it’s found in, so a more conservative habitat is required for those plants.” There’s also monitoring of the plants and animals that are specific to the lakefront. “As part of a long-running project with the Shedd Aquarium, every spring we monitor the migration of a native fish, the white sucker, from the lake into the ravine streams.” Restoration of the bluffs overlooking Millard Beach is another long-term project the team has been working on.

Controlled burns in spring and fall—between 10 and 20 acres across the district—lead to the growing season. “We seed after a burn because those are the best conditions for seed-to-soil contact,” said Liz. “And we have two large projects this season: refreshing the entryway plantings at Heller Nature Center and expanding a rain garden at Deer Creek Racquet Club. After removing invasive species like Buckthorn and other woody plants during the winter months, throughout the growing season we focus on the management of herbaceous invasive species like garlic mustard, phragmites, and reed canary grass.

Playgrounds and ball fields are likely the places you are more aware of as you enjoy the parks, and Brian Dumas oversees making sure those are not only beautiful to look at, but safe to play on as well.

With more than 25 years in the business, and holding a Certified Playground Safety Inspector (CPSI) Certification from the National Recreation and Park Association, Brian is another one of those quiet experts who also manages the Parks Department staff. He’s responsible for opening up all of our seasonal facilities. “Ball fields, tennis courts, pickleball courts, satellite bathrooms, the lakefront, to make sure that everything is ready to go at the start of those seasons.” Perfectly groomed ballfield? Slides and swings and rocket ships all working? Bathrooms clean? Boardwalks and beachfront stairs repaired and safe? Thank Brian for all of those. “We have 22 playgrounds across the District, and ballfields in 14 parks,” he said. “It’s always so nice to hear from residents that they appreciate what we do.”

From dog violets in the wild to white suckers swimming upstream, from manicured baseball diamonds to the woods and walking trails that wind through your favorite place to relax, there’s always so much more going on here than meets the eye. And now you know a little about the people who work year-round—mostly behind the scenes—to make sure that everyone in our Highland Park community can enjoy being outdoors at their Park District.

Have a question about a park, playground, a ballfield, a beach or a bluff? The answer is likely on our website.

Until next time… See you around the parks!

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!