At the October 22 Board Meeting, Park Commissioners were provided with an overview of the successful 2019 camp season.  Over 1,200 campers participated in the Park District camps this summer — that is a 5.5% increase over 2018.  The Park District’s full 7-week camps also had a 13% increase in participation.  

Providing a memorable summer camp experience at a value is at the core of the Park District’s   mission.  Generations of Highland Park families have attended our summer camps, and many of our campers come back as camp counselors and camp directors.  

The Park District is proud to be one of Highland Park’s largest summer employers.  And, for many teens, working at the Park District is their first job experience.  This summer, 200 camp directors, counselors, and specialists joined the Park District team.  Approximately 60% of our summer camp staff were retained from 2018.  

Building on the successful 2019 camp season, the Park District will be offering new exciting options to the 2020 camp line-up.  Residents will receive the 2020 Camp Brochure in the mail the week of November 25, and registration begins December 4. 

The Parks Foundation of Highland Park is raising funds for a new
state-of-the-art Youth Golf Development and Short Game Center
at Sunset Valley Golf Club.

This unique facility, typically only seen at private clubs and learning centers, will be Highland Park’s primary center for youth short game skill instruction and development and the practice facility for all Sunset Valley’s valued golfers.

The new center will feature:

• Fairways, rough areas, and bunkers that replicate the golf course at Sunset Valley, allowing for practice shots up to 50 yards.
• Synthetic Turf Hitting Stations for longer shots

We are already more than halfway to our goal of fully funding this project!

The Park District of Highland Park Board of Commissioners approved a resolution waiving competitive bidding for an emergency sand nourishment project at Rosewood Beach. The resolution included awarding project contracts to Thelen Sand & Gravel for materials and John Keno & Company for labor services.  Both companies provided the lowest responsible quote for services that are in the best interest of the Park District.

Under the Illinois Park District Code, 70 ILSC 1205/1, Section 8-1, competitive bidding for the procurement of goods and services exceeding $25,000 can be waived when the Board of Park Commissioners finds that emergency circumstances exist.

The estimated cost for the project is $310,000 including engineering, material, and construction costs.  Construction is expected to begin October 21, 2019.   Project details and a timeline will be presented to the Park Board of Commissioners at the October 15 Board Workshop Meeting.

Rosewood Beach is one of the Park District’s most heavily used facilities, and one of the most beautiful of our community’s assets.  It is a priority for the Park Board of Commissioners to move quickly to protect that asset and continue providing safe beach access to the thousands of children, adults and families that use this facility for recreation and leisure.

The near-historic high Lake Michigan water levels this past summer have resulted in rapid beach erosion at Rosewood Beach. Infrastructure located at the back of the beach is currently in jeopardy of damage or future failure as sand erodes underneath the boardwalk in the interpretive cove.  The shoreline is also approaching the boardwalk in the swimming cove. Statistically, fall and winter storms are more energetic and result in more erosion and sand movement. To prevent further erosion, protect lakefront structures and ensure this community asset will serve the community for current and future generations, emergency placement of sand is necessary this fall.

Ten new outdoor tennis courts and six new pickleball courts are open for play at Danny Cunniff Park.  The tennis courts were closed earlier this summer for renovation including:

• Installation of a new storm sewer pipe to increase drainage capacity and reduce court flooding after rain events. 
• Repaving, coloring and striping of ten tennis courts .
• Conversion of two  tennis courts to six pickleball courts. 

Pickleball is one of the fastest growing sports. The Sports and Fitness Industry Association reported that in 2018 there were 3.3 million pickleball players in the United States. That represents a 34 percent increase from 2014. The Park District of Highland Park is keeping up with the trends and listening to interest expressed by community members for dedicated pickleball courts. In addition to the six new pickleball courts at Danny Cunniff Park, six new courts were opened earlier this summer at Woodridge Park.  This is in addition to the existing indoor pickleball opportunities offered by the Park District at the Deer Creek Racquet Club.

At a Special Meeting on September 19, the Park Board of Commissioners began the process to review and refresh the Park District’s GreenPrint 2024 ten-year master plan. The meeting was dedicated to idea sharing and review of the Park District’s mission, vision, and values in response to the recent community-wide Interest and Attitude Survey. The outcome of this meeting will set the stage for future planning meetings that will take place over the next several months. 

Results of the Interest and Attitude Survey were presented at the August 6 Park Board Meeting. Community feedback is integral to the Park District’s planning processes to ensure we continually fulfill our mission “To enrich community life through healthy leisure pursuits and an appreciation of the natural world.” 

This year marks the completion of the third year of the GreenPrint 2024 master plan. A periodic review of the plan is intended as part of its implementation by the Park Board of Commissioners.

Six skaters from Centennial Ice Arena will be awarded “Top 3” medals for the eleventh annual Illinois Compete USA series held July 2018 through June 2019.  During the competitive season, skaters can compete at various competitions and earn points for a final standing. 

The “Top 3” Centennial skaters for their freestyle and compulsory program events include: Emerson Bass, Sammy Cahan, Caitlin Carnow, Liv Klein, Emily Teifeld and Isabel Young.  Each Top 3 finalist skater for compulsory elements and free skate will be presented with their medal at an on-ice ceremony in Kankakee, Illinois, on September 29, 2019.

“Our skaters worked very hard this season and it is wonderful to see their dedication and hard work recognized,” said Inga Fedorova, skating coordinator at Centennial Ice Arena.  “Special thanks go out to their coaches and supportive families.”

Centennial Ice Arena is a premier regional center for ice skating with a highly qualified staff and progressive programming.  Centennial is a proud member of US Figure Skating and Learn to Skate USA.  For more information about our recreational and competitive programs.

Thanks to late summer heat and intermittent rainstorms, conditions remain excellent for mosquito breeding. Southlake Mosquito Abatement District (SLMAD) reminds you to continue protecting yourself and your family from mosquito bites, as West Nile Virus (WNV) levels remain active in local mosquito populations across the North Shore region.

SLMAD takes steps all season long to manage mosquito populations and limit transmission opportunities to humans. However, late summer is typically when the presence of West Nile virus peaks in mosquito populations, and recent surveillance findings confirms this trend again for 2019.

So far this year, the State of Illinois has reported 789 positive WNV samples of Culex mosquitoes, the species that transmits WNV. Eighteen WNV positive samples are from Lake County, and 12 within the communities served by SLMAD:  Deerfield, 6; Ft Sheridan, 2; Highland Park, 2; and Riverwoods, 2. There are four confirmed human cases of WNV in the state: two in Cook County, one in DuPage and one in Kankakee County.

Mosquitoes breed in standing water, which are quite common after periods of heavy rain. By simply tossing out or tipping over standing water sources around your property, and reporting standing water sites that cannot be eliminated to SLMAD at www.clarkeportal.com, you can play a big role in controlling mosquito populations and protecting public health in your community.

To help prevent mosquitoes from breeding around your home and business and to protect yourself from bites, follow the “4 Ds of Defense”:

• Drain: Drain standing water from items around your home, yard, and business. Once a week, empty and scrub, turn over, cover, or throw out items that hold water, such as tires, buckets, toys, pools, birdbaths, flowerpots, or trash containers.

• Defend: Wear an EPA-approved repellent containing DEET, Picaridin, IR3535 or Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus.  Use air conditioning, or window and door screens, to prevent mosquitoes from coming inside.

• Dawn to Dusk: Protect yourself all day and night, and wear repellent outdoors during these prime times for mosquito activity.

• Dress: Wear long sleeves, pants, and closed toe shoes when outdoors to cover your skin. Light colored clothing is also recommended, as mosquitoes are more attracted to dark colors.

Contact SLMAD (www.slmad.org) for questions regarding your community’s public health mosquito management programs.

Results of the Park District of Highland Park 2019 Community Attitude and Interest Survey were reviewed with the Park Board at a Special Meeting held on Tuesday, August 6, 2019.  It is a policy of the Park District to conduct a comprehensive community needs assessment at least once every three to six years.  The last survey was completed in 2013. 

“It has been six years since the Park District’s last community survey and five years since the approval of GreenPrint 2024, the Park District’s master plan,” said Park Board President, Brian Kaplan.  “Since that time, the Highland Park community has experienced changes that warrant an updated needs assessment.”  The survey findings will be used, along with additional data, to guide future priority initiatives as the Park District reviews long-term infrastructure and operational plans associated with its Strategic Plan and Master Plan (GreenPrint 2024).

The Park District hired Evanston-based firm, aQity Research to design and administer the survey which was conducted between May 17 through June 23, 2019.   The survey was sent by mail to a random sample of households within the Park District boundaries. Follow-up reminder postcards were sent to non-respondents to encourage full participation.  Both mailings included options to complete the survey by mail, online or by phone.  A total of 851 surveys were completed and weighted to match updated United States Census data for the Park District by region, gender, age, ethnicity and percentage of households with children. 

The survey covered the community’s recreation, facility and park usage and preferences.  Results indicated favorable resident feedback, most notably programs and events, as well as areas for future development, such as programming for adults.  The presentation to the Park Board can be viewed HERE. 

Congratulations to our very own Head Tennis Professional Chris Visconti!  We couldn’t be more excited about Highland Park High School’s recent announcement that our head pro, Chris Visconti, will be HPHS Varsity Girls Tennis Team  co-head coach!

Coach Visconti will  retain all of his responsibilities as the head tennis professional at Deer Creek Racquet Club along with this new role with HPHS. He is looking forward to instilling hard work, sportsmanship, and integrity to the HPHS Girls Tennis Team.

“I am really excited to see a group of young talented players coming together and playing for one another,” said Coach Visconti.

It’s what you do best, Coach!

This summer you may have noticed some remarkable changes along the shoreline at our lakefront parks. 
The beaches are significantly narrower and the water significantly closer to the bluff lines due to Lake Michigan water level that has risen to higher than average levels. As a result, Highland Park and communities all along the Illinois Lake Michigan shoreline are dealing with the effects of beach erosion. 

At Rosewood Beach, the Park District is taking steps to the protect portions of the Rosewood boardwalk that are closest to the waterline. The Rosewood Interpretive Center is already protected from the effects of the high water by a below-ground sheet pile structure system that was installed when the beach was renovated in 2015.