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Installation begins next week on a new solar photovoltaic (PV) power plant at Deer Creek Racquet Club. The new system will provide an estimated energy savings of $4,000 or approximately 11% per year for the Club. The Park District entered into a lease agreement with Realgy, LLC in December 2020 to provide the new Deer Creek solar plant as part of the Park District’s commitment to reduce its carbon footprint. The new system will generate 180,000kWh annually, equivalent to powering over 17 average Illinois homes per year. Utilizing solar also provides a clean alternative to coal. The new Deer Creek system will substitute 245 tons of coal burned which means removing 127,000 lbs. of CO2 into the environment annually, the equivalent of planting 9,800 trees.
In the agreement, the Connecticut-based Realgy will pay for the installation and ongoing maintenance of the Deer Creek PV Solar Power Plant. The term of the lease is 25 years. The new PV Solar Power plant is a 149 kW system. Based on Deer Creek’s 2019 usage, the system is estimated to produce 39% of the building’s energy needs. The remainder of the energy needs will come from the power grid and be supplied by Realgy, which averages 5% below ComEd rates. Annual credits are built into the agreement for additional savings.
It will take two to three weeks to install the new PV system on the Deer Creek roof. Once the system is inspected, commissioned, and tested, it will be operational in January 2022. During this time, Deer Creek will remain open for its regular hours of operation.
“The partnership with Realgy is another example of our Park District’s ongoing efforts to provide economic, environmental, and health benefits for our residents,” said Brian Romes, executive director for the Park District of Highland Park.
10/22/21 – New journeys are possible now that the “Connector Trail” linking both sides of The Preserve across the Skokie River is complete! The path heads west across a footbridge to a wetland overlook (still under construction) and joins with the Gateway Path leading south to the Golf Learning Center.
Funding for the Connector Trail is provided in part by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources OSLAD Program.
Stay up to date on the project at The Preserve of Highland Park.
Highland Park is one of the few communities in the area that is providing access to public beaches during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Park District has instituted policies, safety guidelines and protocols to allow this recreational access for the well-being of our community.
Park ambassadors are onsite at Rosewood Beach, Millard Beach and Park Avenue North Beach to monitor beach activities, enforce parking, policies, and ordinances. Patrons are required to practice social distancing and safety measures.
When visiting our beaches please be respectful of our neighbors and private property lines. The boundaries of the Park District of Highland Park property are clearly marked at all our public beaches. It is unlawful to go beyond those boundaries.
We ask that you review the information below before visiting our beaches. Your cooperation and understanding will ensure we can continue to safely keep our beaches open for the remainder of the season.
Post Season (September 8- September 27)
Weekdays: No Lifeguard on Duty, Swim at Your Own Risk
Weekends: 10 am – 6 pm Guarded Swim
Beach Hours: Dawn to Dusk
Beach Access: Residents and Non-residents are permitted.
Capacity: 275 people (beach access will be closed when at capacity.
Parking: 7 am – 9 pm (gates close promptly at 9 pm)
This is a dog beach. Currently, this beach is closed for safety reasons, due to the path experiencing significant erosion.
As of Saturday, July 31, data published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicates that Lake County is now experiencing substantial community transmission of COVID-19. The Lake County Health Department now urges individuals and businesses to follow CDC guidance and wear face masks in indoor public spaces to slow the spread of COVID-19 in Lake County communities.
For our residents’ health and safety, and to align with Lake County and CDC guidance, beginning Tuesday, August 3, face masks will be required in all Park District of Highland Park indoor facilities regardless of vaccination status. Those indoor facilities where masks are required at all times include the Recreation Center of Highland Park, Deer Creek Racquet Club, Sunset Valley clubhouse, Hidden Creek bathhouse, West Ridge Center, Heller Nature Center, and Centennial Ice Arena. Signs will be posted at all facilities as a reminder to patrons.
The Park District guidelines will remain the same for our outdoor facilities and programs as follows:
We appreciate our community’s understanding and cooperation as we work together to navigate these challenging times. The Park District will continue to work with state, county, and local authorities. Always, your health and safety are our top priority, and we will keep you updated as the situation evolves.
For more information on the CDC and Lake County guidelines, click here.
Due to Lake County now experiencing substantial community transmission of COVID-19, the Lake County Health Department now urges individuals and businesses to follow CDC guidance and wear face masks in indoor public spaces to slow the spread of COVID-19 in Lake County communities. See below for details:
Outdoor Facilities and Programs
Indoor Facilities and Programs
Currently, the Park District is not tracking patrons and participants for vaccinations. By participating in a Park District program, lesson, or activity or visiting an outdoor Park District facility without a face mask, you are verifying truthfully that you have been fully vaccinated.
You are considered fully vaccinated:
If you don’t meet these requirements, regardless of your age, you are NOT fully vaccinated. Keep taking all precautions until you are fully vaccinated.
For your continued safety, certain guidelines will remain in place at some of our facilities. For facility-specific guidelines and other information click on the facility links below:
Recreation Center of Highland Park
Highland Park Golf Learning Center
If guidelines change, we will update you accordingly. If you have any questions about how this will affect your participation in a program, please contact your program manager.
Our staff works with our local, state, and federal authorities with the primary goal of keeping our customers, residents, and staff safe and healthy. Updates are provided on this website, on the Park District Facebook page, and via email. To subscribe to our emails, click here.
Remember to prevent the spread of respiratory diseases, including COVID -19, consistently follow the Lake County Health Department guidelines:
If you have any COVID-19 questions, call the Illinois COVID-19 hotline at (800) 889-3931 or email [email protected]. You may also want to consider signing up for updates from the Lake County Health Department at https://www.lakecountyil.gov/4420/COVID-19-Updates.
As the local, state, and national landscapes continue to evolve, the Park District will remain vigilant and continue to keep you informed.
In support of our country’s veterans, the Park District of Highland Park has amended its Military Discount Policy to include the eligibility of “veteran” servicemen and women and their immediate families to receive discounted services. Before this addition, the Military Discount Policy provided a 15% discount off resident rates for programs, memberships, and daily fees, excluding select contractual programs for active military and their families. The Park District Board of Commissioners unanimously approved the new military discount policy amendment to include veterans at their July 27, 2021 meeting.
Veteran and active military must register in person with proof of active or veteran service to receive the reduced rates.
The Park District of Highland Park strives to serve as the center of the community and to be our residents’ first choice for recreational services. Our adopted policies, procedures, and programs are committed to creating an inclusive environment where all individuals are treated with respect and dignity.
At the July 27 Regular Board Meeting, the Park Board approved the value statement and pledge for inclusion developed by the Park District’s Climate Task Force. The task force is comprised of staff volunteers who share a commitment to keep the Park District on course as a leader in our community for progressive inclusion.
The new value statement adopted by the Board is as follows:
The Park District of Highland Park is an ally for inclusion and equitable access, where everyone is afforded the same rights and opportunities that result in a sense of belonging, and the ability to safely express themselves authentically, without judgment.
Additionally, the Park District of Highland Park pledges:
For more information on the Park District’s inclusion policies and programs, click here.
We are so excited to announce that the Recreation Center of Highland Park is hosting the Mobile Museum of Tolerance (MMOT) Monday, July 26 through Friday, July 30 from noon-6pm daily. The MMOT will be located at the northeast corner of the Rec Center parking lot.
A project of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, the MMOT is a bus that has been transformed both inside and out, into a museum with the purpose to “inspire people of all ages and backgrounds, empowering them to raise their voices and combat anti-Semitism, bullying, racism, hate, and intolerance and to promote human dignity.”
MMOT utilizes innovative technology and interactive lessons to bring its message of tolerance directly to Illinois communities.
To remind residents of the importance of staying safe at our beaches and while boating this summer, the Park Board has proclaimed May 24-31 as Highland Park Beach Safety Week and May 22-28 as Safe Boating Week in Highland Park.
The proclamations coincide and support the United States Lifesaving Association (USLA) National Beach Safety Week and the U.S. Coast Guard’s National Safe Boating Week. The Park Board urges all residents using our beaches to enjoy themselves at the beach this year while taking appropriate measures to protect themselves and their children.
Additionally, as boating continues to be a popular recreational activity, the Park Board is bringing attention to critical life-saving tips for recreational boaters so that they can have a safer, more fun experience out on the water throughout the year.
WHEREAS, the beautiful Lake Michigan public beaches of Highland Park, Illinois represent a valued recreational resource; and,
WHEREAS, Highland Park residents and visitors alike are drawn to these beaches each year for water and beach activities; and,
WHEREAS, the aquatic environment has dangers, particularly rip currents, that can be effectively managed through public awareness and the vigilance of professional lifeguards; and,
WHEREAS, for reasons of public safety, an annual reminder of the joys and hazards associated with the aquatic environment are appropriate at the commencement of the busy summer beach season; and,
WHEREAS, Highland Park residents and visitors alike must remember: Learn to Swim, Swim Near a Lifeguard, Swim with a Buddy, Check with the Lifeguards, Use Sunscreen and Drink Water, Obey Posted Signs, Keep the Beach and Water Clean, Learn Rip Current Safety, Enter Water Feet First, and Wear a Life Jacket.
NOW, THEREFORE, the Park Board of Commissioners by virtue of the authority vested in us for the Park District of Highland Park do hereby proclaim May 24-31, 2021 as:
Beach Safety Week in Highland Park, and urge all residents using our beaches to enjoy themselves at the beach this year, while taking appropriate measures to protect themselves and their children.
National Safe Boating Week is observed to bring attention to important life-saving tips for recreational boaters so that they can have a safer, more fun experience out on the water throughout the year.
Therefore, the Board of Commissioners for the Park District of Highland Park, do hereby support the goals of the Safe Boating Campaign and proclaim May 22-28, 2021 as:
Safe Boating Week in Highland Park, and the start of the year-round effort to promote safe boating. We urge all those who boat to practice safe boating habits and always wear a life jacket while boating.
In an effort to provide relief to Highland Park property owners, the Park Board of Commissioners approved a Truth in Taxation Resolution for a 0% increase for the Park District’s 2021 tax levy. As a result, the Park District plans to levy $11,743,050 in 2021, keeping the percent increase flat in comparison to 2020. The Park District’s portion of residents’ property tax is approximately 7%.
“This has been an exceptionally challenging year for our residents,” said Barney Ruttenberg, president of the Park Board of Commissioners. “Throughout the pandemic, the Park District has adjusted its operations and programming to provide safe and healthy recreational outlets for our community’s physical, emotional, and mental well-being. We feel it is our responsibility to do more for our residents struggling with the financial ramifications of this on-going pandemic. Through careful planning and cost-saving strategies, we can keep our tax levy flat for 2021 to provide much-needed relief for our residents during this unprecedented time.”
The 2021 Park District flat tax levy includes a combination of a 2.3% Consumer Price Index (CPI) increase in its “tax capped funds,” new growth estimated to be approximately $25 million, and a reduction in the Special Recreation Fund levy from .04% to .0245%. The Special Recreation Fund is used for the Park District’s Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) capital improvements, member fees for the Northern Suburban Special Recreation Association (NSSRA), and program inclusion fees for participants with special needs. Due to COVID-19, there was a reduction in Special Recreation Fund expenses in 2020. As a result, $682,550.32 will be added to the Special Recreation Fund’s balance in 2021, allowing the Park District to lower the 2021 Levy for this Fund.
“Because of the decreased expenditures in 2020, the reduction in the 2021 Special Recreation Fund levy will not reduce our ability to continue with planned ADA capital improvements, complete projects that require ADA accommodations in the coming years, or meet obligations to NSSRA, including support for the renovation of their new administrative building,” said Brian Romes, executive director of the Park District of Highland Park.
“It is our goal to continue creating a safe environment for our residents while creating innovative ways to participate in recreational programs and services. Through efficient and fiscally responsible planning, we aspire to ensure the Park District will continue providing essential recreational outlets for our residents in the short and long-term as our community and our country perseveres through this difficult time,” said Ruttenberg.
Now more than ever, we are all conscious of staying healthy and only being in clean, safe environments. Our staff members follow strict, consistent sanitation and safety protocols to ensure you and your family are in the safest environments you can be while at our facilities. The Park District of Highland Park has also invested in new state-of-the-art air filtration systems at the Recreation Center of Highland Park, Deer Creek Racquet Club, Centennial Ice Arena, and West Ridge Center.
Our new HVAC system UV Air Filters are unlike chemical approaches to disinfection. The UV provides rapid, effective inactivation of microorganisms through a physical process. When bacteria, viruses, and protozoa are exposed to UV light, the UV energy destroys the genetic material (DNA) within, eliminating their ability to reproduce and cause infection. The UV Filter System provides continuous disinfection of the air within our facilities, lowering the concentration of mold, bacteria, and viruses. UV technology is used for indoor disinfection in hospitals, food processing, and laboratories.
We are all safe when we all work together. Keeping your Park District clean and safe, so you and your family can maintain your healthy lifestyle is our top priority.
To learn more about the daily investments we are making in your health and safety at our facilities, watch this important video.