2021
YEAR IN REVIEW PARKS & RECREATION THE BENEFITS ARE ENDLESS
Dear Carol Stream Park District Residents! Goodbye 2021! It was a challenging year. COVID regulations changed constantly. We faced worldwide logistics, supply and demand issues, skyrocketing everyday costs; and we faced a workforce shortage. I’m sure, for you and your families, like us here at the Park District, it felt like the weeks were a zig-zag course of balancing acts. But even with all of the challenges, the Park District was able to open doors, parks and playgrounds, and welcome our community to a safe and healthy parks and recreation environment. As they say in Hollywood, “The show must go on”, and we had some great highlights in 2021. In cooperation with our partners, the Village of Carol Stream and Jewel Osco, we offered two COVID vaccination clinics. When local elementary schools shifted to remote learning, our team of incredible staff developed our own remote classrooms at Simkus Recreation Center so parents had a place to send their kids for remote learning and extended after school care. Coral Cove Water Park, although under some restrictions, offered a successful and enjoyable swimming experience as another outlet for the community. The return of Awesome Adventure Summer Day Camp offered another resource for parents and a fun place for kids to play. Now operating as a family destination center with a variety of things to do besides mini golf, Coyote Crossing Mini Golf saw one of its best seasons ever in 2021. The Park District Board, led this year by President Tim Powers, had a successful year as well. The Board hosted two “Meet Us at the Park” events at Slepicka and Hampe Parks. These events introduced Board members and park district staff to the residents in those neighborhoods; more are planned for 2022. Four Board Members were recognized for their years of service, and six Board Members have now achieved “Master Board Member” status. The Board was engaged in the renovation of Simkus Recreation Center and relocation of the preschool program. The facility has easier access and parking. The kids (and I think the parents, too) like the newly renovated classrooms, access to the big gym, and, of course, the addition of the newest playground in our system located behind the building. Having the preschoolers in the building, waving to them, participating in their Halloween parade, hearing them sing, and seeing their artwork posted definitely brings smiles and brightens the day of all staff at Simkus. We are excited about the future of Community Park, a treasure in the southeast area of Carol Stream. We launched a community survey and held resident input meetings in the summer of 2021, resulting in the adoption of a Master Plan for the park. Once funded, the park will include soccer field renovations, new picnic shelters, revamped basketball and tennis courts, and new and improved parking, along with a newly paved trail system and playground. And speaking of parks, have you navigated through the new Interactive Parks Map found on our website? It gives you access to all of the amenities at our parks, playgrounds and sports fields. In other Parks news, be sure to take a walk down the newly paved pathway at Mitchell Lake, which was made possible through a grant with the State of Illinois Department of Natural Resources. In 2021 we went out on a limb and asked residents to pick up their trash through our “Walk Your Trash Home!” campaign. The goal of the campaign was to reduce the work hours it takes for parks staff to visit each park and pick up and remove trash. The idea is working because our residents have accepted it. Thank you! Of course, being as transparent and open with your money is super important to staff and our Board. Through these efforts, we were able to obtain the highest standard in accounting excellence by receiving the Government Finance Officers Association Award for the 20th consecutive year. I am grateful for the support you have given to the Park District over 2021. I am proud of our staff who worked so hard to re-open programs and services under everchanging restrictions, and I’m proud of our community for stepping out -- our partners, our residents, even our children. You came to the pool, gym and fitness center; and you participated in sports and programs. Thank you for your continuous support of the Park District. Know that we are always here and committed to you, the Carol Stream community.
Jim Reuter Executive Director
WE ARE COMMITTED TO YOU, THE CAROL STREAM COMMUNITY!
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS The Park District Board of Commissioners are elected officials who serve without compensation. They act as the legislative and policymaking body of the District in the operation, control, improvement and planning of its parks, recreation programs, facilities, personnel and fiscal operations. In addition to attending biweekly park board meetings, the Commissioners attend Carol Stream Parks Foundation meetings and various park district and community events through their tenure. Commissioners also participate in the Illinois Association of Park Districts’ Board Development Program. The program gives recognition to local board members who consistently go above and beyond the call of duty through committee involvement, attendance at continuing educational opportunities and achievements at the local, state and national levels. This program sets ascending levels of designation (from Notable, to Distinctive, and culminating in Master Board Member) as commissioners gain service and knowledge in their positions. The following Commissioners have achieved Master Board Member ranking: Dan Bird, Brenda Gramann, John Jaszka, Jacqueline Jeffery, Tim Powers and Brian Sokolowski. Commissioner Anthony Del Preto has achieved Notable Board Member ranking. At a Board Meeting in November 2021, the following Commissioners were recognized for their service and dedication to the Carol Stream community through their service on the Park Board of Commissioners. Brenda Gramann and Brian Sokolowski were recognized for 20 years of service; John Jaszka and Jacqueline Jeffery were recognized for 10 years of service.
Carol Stream Park District Board of Commissioners (from left to right) Tim Powers, President; Brenda Gramann, Commissioner; Dan Bird, Commissioner; Brian Sokolowski, Commissioner; John Jaszka, Commissioner; Jacqueline Jeffery, Commissioner; Anthony Del Preto, Vice President.
AWARDS, GRANTS & DONATIONS GFOA AWARD The Park District received the Government Finance Officers Association Certificate for Excellence in Financial Reporting for its comprehensive annual financial report for the 20th consecutive year. 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.
COMMUNITY PARK The Carol Stream Park District is the recipient of a Community Development Block Grant through DuPage County to cover a portion of the Community Park improvements that have been planned through input from the surrounding residents during the Master Planning Process. The District plans on beginning renovations in 2022. The park is located at 725 Thornhill Drive, Carol Stream.
MITCHELL LAKES PARK TRAIL On March 17, 2021, Gov. Pritzker announced $885,300 in grants for local bike path projects in seven counties. The Carol Stream Park District was the recipient of a grant award from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources for 50% of the cost to renovate a 0.95-mile, 8-foot-wide existing asphalt trail adjacent to Mitchell Lake Park. The Mitchell Lake Park trail is also joined by the Armstrong and Veterans Park trails. The Veterans Park Trail is joined by the Lies Road trail, which takes a cyclist west to the new Gary Avenue trail and then south to the Great Western Trail.
CARES ACT RELIEF The County Board of DuPage received funding from the federal government pursuant to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). The CARES Act provides for payments to local governments navigating the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak. The “DuPage County Local Government COVID-19 Reimbursement Program” covered $52,915.40 of the District’s costs related to sanitization, cleaning, protective barriers, signage, and equipment to create safe facilities and programs for the residents of Carol Stream.
DONATIONS, SPONSORSHIPS AND PARTNERSHIPS SPONSORSHIPS We are fortunate to have local businesses who give back to the community. Generous donations and sponsorships keep our programs affordable. In 2021, the District received over $29,000 in sponsorships.
DONATIONS Fifth Third Bank donated $2,000 to the Youth Scholarship Fund. This fund provides financial support for children in our community who would otherwise not be able to participate in a variety of recreational activities (like swim lessons, baseball, dance, theatre, etc.). The Park District provides an average of $15,000 in scholarship awards every year.
PARTNERSHIPS We partnered with the Village of Carol Stream and Jewel-Osco for two community vaccination events which provided over 4,800 doses of the Pfizer vaccine. We participated in the 44th annual Christmas Sharing event with our community volunteers and partners, providing 177 families and 400 children with over 7 tons of food and 1,400 new toys. We partnered with the Carol Stream Rotary to conduct a coat drive. The drive collected over 1,000 coats that were donated to local resale shops that serve the Carol Stream Community. We partner with Glenbard North High School annually by sharing sport fields and facilities. An intergovernmental agreement grants their swim classes and swim team use of the indoor pool at Fountain View Recreation Center. In partnership with Community Consolidated School District 93, we offer ActivKids Before and After School Program. A remote e-Learning site was established at the Simkus Recreation Center during the school closure. We partner with Evergreen School by an intergovernmental agreement that provides park district gym space for programming. Through this agreement we share in the cost of construction and ongoing maintenance of Evergreen Gym. The Western DuPage Special Recreation Association (WDSRA) supports adults with special needs. The Fountain View Recreation Center hosts the WDSRA Rec & Roll program which offers assistance with daily living skills and fun activities. The Carol Stream Fire District used the indoor pool at Fountain View Recreation Center and Veterans Park Lake for rescue diving and training drills.
VETERANS MEMORIAL PLAZA The Veterans Memorial Plaza is a beautiful gathering place for the community and the site of military services such as the observation of Memorial Day and Veterans Day. The Veterans Memorial Plaza is supported by the community through generous donations and brick sales, which are ongoing. In 2021, 18 commemorative bricks were installed into the plaza in recognition of those who serve in the armed forces. Funds are used to keep up the landscaping needs and make park improvements.
A recent addition to the plaza was the installation of the Space Force Flag, a newly appointed branch of the Air Force. The Space Force flag was generously donated by the VFW of Carol Stream Post 10396. When needed, military flag replacements are donated by the VFW of Carol Stream Post 10396 and the American Legion Post 76.
The Carol Stream Parks Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to public parks and recreation programs of the Carol Stream Park District. The Foundation is managed by a volunteer board of directors who live or work locally. Through generous donations from community members, local business and fundraising events, the Parks Foundation supports the Park District and the Carol Stream community. The Foundation‘s annual Duck Race was held at Coyote Crossing Mini Golf in summer and was streamed via Facebook Live due to social distancing. The event raised $2,116 in duck race entries. The Carol Stream Parks Foundation also organized a recreational Bike Club, and membership fees for the club raised $910. Through local support the Foundation raised over $11,700. Thank you for your support! This year the Foundation made a generous donation of $6,000 toward the Carol Stream Park District’s scholarship fund which offers financial assistance to qualifying program participants. Overall, the Foundation has contributed over $20,000 to the Scholarship Program.
As part of their mission to support recreation, the Foundation installed a Bike Fix It Station at Simkus Recreation Center. Look for a new one in the spring of 2022 near the Bark Park.
In 2021, after several years of dedication, we thanked and said farewell to Dave Creighton and Craig Cronquist. Both Dave and Craig supported fundraising efforts throughout their years with the Foundation. Creighton, an enthusiastic member since 2017 was always happy to help promote the Foundation, annual duck race and bike club. He held the position of board president prior to his leaving. Cronquist joined the Foundation in 2017 as well, and his creativity was instrumental in the improvements of the annual Duck Race. He also served on the committee to update the Foundation by-laws. We welcomed two new Foundation members, Dana Hybl and Todd Powell in 2021, both longtime residents who are passionate about the Carol Stream community. We look forward to great contributions from our newest board members.
PARKS AND RECREATION – THE BENEFITS ARE ENDLESS The Carol Stream Park District is more than just parks, fitness and sports. We are an essential public service. In a National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) brief (undated), three values make parks and recreation essential services to communities: 1) Economic value, 2) Health and Environmental benefits, and 3) Social importance. As summarized from the brief:
ECONOMIC VALUE Parks improve the local tax base and increase property values. This increase in private property value increases property tax revenues and improves the local economy. The real estate market demonstrates that many people are willing to pay a larger amount for property located close to parks and open space areas. Quality parks and recreation are cited as one of the top three reasons that business cite in relocation decisions in a number of studies.
HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS Parks are the places that people go to get healthy and stay fit. Parks and recreation programs and services contribute to the health of children, youth, adults, and seniors. According to studies by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, creating, improving and promoting places to be physically active can improve individual and community health and result in a 25 percent increase of residents who exercise at least three times per week. Parks and protected public lands are proven to improve water quality, protect groundwater, prevent flooding, improve the quality of the air we breathe, provide vegetative buffers to development, produce habitat for wildlife, and provide a place for children and families to connect with nature and recreate outdoors together.
SOCIAL IMPORTANCE Parks are a tangible reflection of the quality of life in a community. They provide identity for citizens and are a major factor in the perception of quality of life in a given community. Parks and recreation services are often cited as one of the most important factors in surveys of how livable communities are. Parks provide gathering places for families and social groups, as well as for individuals of all ages and economic status, regardless of their ability to pay for access. Parks and recreation programs provide places for health and well-being that are accessible by persons of all ages and abilities, especially to those with disabilities. Access to parks and recreation opportunities has been strongly linked to reductions in crime and to reduced juvenile delinquency. Parks have a value to communities that transcend the amount of dollars invested or the revenues gained from fees. Parks provide a sense of public pride and cohesion to every community.
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES Park districts are one of the top employers of teens and young adults, providing that first employment opportunity to build confidence, learn new skills and gain valuable work experience. The park district offers flexibility and is a great place for a stay-at-home parent with some time on their hands, looking for extra income. Even retirees find the park district a fun place to work. Best of all, hired staff receive a free fitness center membership, water park pass and dog park membership. The Carol Stream Park District staff worked diligently during 2021 to bring back your favorite programs and services that were flourishing prior to 2020. But, it takes people to run a business, to run our facilities and programs, and we were no stranger to the nationwide shortage of workers despite how enticing the benefits may be. Many part-time and seasonal jobs are filled by teens and young adults, and we know that interviewing for a job, especially your first job, can be an intimidating experience. To make that experience less formal and more casual, the Carol Stream Park District began “Meet Us Mondays” and “Walk In Wednesdays”. We wanted job seekers to see what the recreation environment is all about by stopping by to see what’s available and what may interest them. Monday “Meet Us” times were at Simkus Recreation Center, while Wednesday “Walk In” times were at Fountain View Recreation Center, so job seekers had flexibility in times and locations. Staff were cross-trained to know about all jobs available across the district, not just in their program areas. Marketing advertised these job interviews as casual, fun, and no resume required. A separate campaign “Join our Team and Work Out for Free” was targeted to fitness members, or anyone that was interested in a fitness membership. This method of attracting new employees helped to build up our workforce in 2021. In 2021, we had 331 employees, 199 of which were from Carol Stream. The Park District remains one of the largest employers in Carol Stream.
PRESCHOOL MOVED TO SIMKUS RECREATION CENTER Preschool moved from Elk Trail Recreation Center to Simkus Recreation Center in March of 2021. Three rooms at Simkus were converted into classrooms and a playroom was introduced. Our preschoolers are excited to use the gymnastics rooms and gym year round at the new location. In addition, a brand new playground was installed in the Fall of 2021 (see next page). The new location offers parents the ability to see their child’s teachers, classrooms and meet other parents. We can now offer possibilities for extended care and enrichment and opportunities for parents to enroll in other programs while their child is in class. Parking is plentiful and with better accessibility to the preschool program. The Park District preschool program has been a community tradition for over 40 years, giving first-time students a balanced play-based learning experience that focuses on the development of pre-kindergarten skills.
SIMKUS RECREATION CENTER PLAYGROUND & TURF FIELD Along with the opportunity to move our preschool program over to the Simkus Recreation Center came the opportunity to build a new playground. A fenced-in playground is located on the west side of the Simkus Recreation Center. A large multi-age play structure is surrounded by a pour-in-place rubber surface that mimics a little roadway. Included in the play area is a 20-yard artificial turf field for open play and small sports programs. The surface and amenities are designed to offer greater mobility for all visitors. The playground area is a fun amenity for the preschool program, school year programs, and birthday parties booked at Coral Cove Water Park.
RECREATION DEPARTMENT HIGHLIGHTS ACTIVKIDS Hybrid Learning was offered the first half of the year. Registrants spent a portion of their day at school and the remainder at Simkus Recreation Center. When there was a break in their school day, participants enjoyed various games and sports to stay active. We served 42 registrants and brought in $42,283 in revenue in the winter/spring. The Before & After Care program began as normal in August, though with lower participation overall. We ended 2021 with 215 participants and $168,280 in revenue. Online registration was offered as a simplified option for both school-year enrollments and daily flex passes for the first time this fall. The ActivKids program runs in partnership with Community Consolidated School District 93. Days Off Club saw lower numbers in January-April, but OctoberDecember showed an increase in participation including eight days of winter break. Total participation was 537 between Before Care, Days Off Club, and After Care, ending with $19,610 in revenue. Participants enjoyed special events such as swimming, gymnastics, theatre, Lincoln Marsh, an inflatable, and Mad Science along with theme days featuring giant yard games, music, movie and pajamas, and winter wonderland.
AQUATICS The Dolphins Swim Team competed until March with 126 swimmers. All swim meets were virtual, with six meets at our facility and one meet offsite. Sixteen swim team conditioning classes were offered with 74 participants. These classes focused on building the skills needed to participate in competitive swimming. Offered were 84 private swim lessons with 239 students registered. In addition, 69 group swim lessons were offered with 275 students participating. Lap swim memberships totaled 234. There were 1,245 Coral Cove Water Park members and 20,049 daily passes sold with 30,788 visits to the facility throughout the summer. Overall, Coral Cove generated $238,367 in revenue in 2021.
AWESOME ADVENTURE CAMP Awesome Adventure Camp served 243 campers, totaling 2,190 registrations. Twelve weeks of Before Camp, Summer Camp and After Camp generated $227,484 in revenue. We hosted an average of 127 campers per full week, with our highest enrollment week totaling 140 campers. Due to ever-changing guidelines, Awesome Adventure Camp saw 58% of weeks exceed our originally planned maximum capacity of 131 participants. Campers enjoyed a special event, water day at Hampe Park, and field trip each week and, by the end of summer, pool time 4-5 days a week! Field trips remained on park district property, making use of Coyote Crossing, Armstrong Park, McCaslin Splash Pad and Bierman Park.
RECREATION DEPARTMENT HIGHLIGHTS CONCESSIONS Concession operations at McCaslin Park, Coral Cove Water Park and Fountain View Recreation Center generated over $259,797 in revenue. This is the first year that McCaslin Park grilled on a Blackstone griddle. Popular items at McCaslin Park included pretzels with 3,432 sold, Mini Melts with 2,111 sold, alcohol with 9,555 sold and Gatorade with 5,002 sold. Popular items at Coral Cove Water Park included Mini Melts with 3,149 sold, pizza with 4,012 slices sold, pretzels with 1,794 sold, and fountain drinks with 2,621 sold. This was the first year selling Mini Melts instead of soft serve ice cream at Coral Cove Water Park.
COYOTE CROSSING MINI GOLF About 13,800 rounds were played in 2021 at Coyote Crossing Mini Golf. The facility generated over $89,000 in revenue. Coyote Crossing hosted multiple special events including 80’s Glow Golf Theme Night, Wacky Golf, Patriot Day, Candy Land Trail, Boos and Brews Haunted Golf, and Grinchmas. Coyote Crossing had several renovations made to the facility and the course including painting of the interior and new signage on the course. This was the first year for the Coyote Hideout space which featured a fire pit and seating and allowed patrons to spend more time at the facility playing lawn games and enjoying concessions. Alcohol sales were offered on weekend evenings. Mini Melt ice cream was a huge hit with a total of 947 Mini Melts sold!
DANCE The dance program flourished in 2021! Participation increased this year to a total of 1,065 enrollments and $63,636 in revenue between dance recital, seasonal dance, and adult dance classes. Due to COVID restrictions, the Spring Recital featured an alternate format with classes performing one at a time for their respective families. Fall saw a lessening of restrictions. The 14 recital classes and four Forte Dance Companies performed in the Holiday Dance Showcase at the end of the year, which sold 521 tickets for $1,563 in revenue.
RECREATION DEPARTMENT HIGHLIGHTS GYMNASTICS The gymnastics program was extremely successful in 2021 despite COVID limitations. The Springers Gymnastics team grew to 44 members in fall, ending the year with $65,885 in revenue. We held several in-house meets at the start of the year so gymnasts could compete even when we were unable to have outside teams join us. By the end of the year, we were competing in person against other teams with multiple first place finishes! Instructional class enrollments jumped in the fall! One surprisingly successful new class, Adult Tumbling, has allowed 18 and older participants to rekindle their love of gymnastics while building new friendships. Revenue for instructional gymnastics ended the year at $101,863 with 511 total participants. The summer Beat the Heat Camp had 31 enrolled, a new record, with participants learning a dance routine, practicing gymnastics skills and swimming at Coral Cove Water Park.
FITNESS Fountain View Fitness resumed with a full year of operations. 2021 saw the gym return to normal hours and its original pre-pandemic equipment layout. The fitness center had over 110,424 visits from members. 3,811 were paid daily visits. Fountain View Fitness ended the fiscal year with 1,301 allinclusive members, 346 corporate members, and 159 walking track members. Total fitness revenue exceeded $768,000. Fountain View Fitness saw an increase in personal training compared to 2020. A total of 621 sessions were sold with the most popular package being our 6-pack promo special. A full year of indoor group fitness classes took place in 2021. As many as 67 weekly classes were offered with options seven days a week. Group fitness class attendance exceeded 25,000. A Zumba event was held in support of Autism Awareness Month with 47 participants. Monthly member challenges were held throughout the year with nearly 740 registrations. The 500-Mile Challenge was the most popular, with 114 participants registered to walk, run or jog 500 miles by the end of the year. Nineteen people completed their 500 miles! Other member challenges included the February heart challenge, May The Fit Be With You, July Summer Cookout challenge, the November Burn the Turkey challenge and the December 12 Days of Fitmas challenge.
FOREVER YOUNG Forever Young started off cautiously in 2021, with COVID mitigations pausing programming for our at-risk population. The Forever Young Walking Club ran successfully for one session with 20 participants. The club met weekly to walk the paths in various Carol Stream parks. Fall brought back Forever Young day trips, with a total of 266 registrations across 10 trips to some favorite destinations like the Chicago Botanic Garden, Starved Rock Lodge and the Four Winds Casino. Forever Young ended the year with $11,282 in revenue.
RECREATION DEPARTMENT HIGHLIGHTS PRESCHOOL Preschool fall enrollment was at its highest in four years, with 128 participants between 10 in-person classes and two virtual. We also ran our first parent/tot preschool class, Learn with Me, in the fall. In-person preschool has resumed most of its activities, finishing 2021 with a Holiday Sing-A-Long at Fountain View Recreation Center. In total, preschool classes generated $108,735 in revenue. Summer Preschool ran all 10 weeks at Simkus Recreation Center, with all but one week at maximum capacity. Enrollment was at a record high of 121 total participants and $7,246 in revenue. K-2 Camp was moved outdoors to Hampe Park and changed to grades K-3. This program also ran all 10 weeks in the summer with a total of 78 registrations and $5,205 in revenue.
RENTALS & BIRTHDAY PARTIES The multi-purpose rooms at Fountain View and Simkus Recreation Center hosted 161 parties, receptions, showers, ceremonies and meetings in 2021. The new Premier Room at Fountain View Recreation Center hosted 41 of the rentals. Revenue for the year totaled $88,546. Approximately 200 rentals were held at our eight park shelters, bringing in $16,130 in revenue. Fifty-five children celebrated their birthday at our various locations. In 2021, outdoor parties held at Coyote Crossing Mini Golf and Coral Cove Water Park were most popular and accounted for 32 of the parties. Revenue for the year totaled $14,803.
SPECIAL EVENTS Fifteen various community and family special events were held, servicing over 2,747 participants. Events in 2021 were run to ensure safety and promoted socially distanced experiences. New events this year included the Candyland Trail, Santa Gretna Station Visits and the adult-only Haunted Golf Boos & Brews. Revenue for the year was $22,735.
RECREATION DEPARTMENT HIGHLIGHTS SPECIAL INTEREST, FAMILY & NATURE PROGRAMS Special interest offered several successful virtual programs, including music lessons, magic classes and language classes. In-person classes that ran were Horsemanship for Kids, People Training Dogs, Kid Rock, Glitzy Girlz and Babysitting Basics. Special Interest programming generated over $13,000 in revenue. Total enrollment was 202 participants.
SPORTS McCaslin Park and Armstrong Park were back in full swing for 2021, and hosted 21 youth baseball and softball tournaments along with 11 adult softball tournaments. Over 1,500 kids participated in baseball, softball, basketball, soccer, volleyball and dodgeball leagues. Another 2,700 adults participated in basketball, cup-in-hand kickball, disc golf, dodgeball, floor hockey, pickleball, softball and volleyball leagues. We hosted our biggest year with adult softball tournaments and housed 156 teams over the course of the season. Sports continued to be affected by the pandemic, which led to more innovative programming while continuing to adapt to the guidelines. We offered new leagues such as adult pickleball and adult disc golf; and we continued to offer our youth 3v3 leagues with basketball, soccer and dodgeball. Our e-sports gaming tournaments also skyrocketed, bringing in 176 participants to our monthly Super Smash Brothers tournaments. Total revenue for all athletic programs and leagues exceeded $440,000 and revenue for field and gym rentals exceeded $227,000.
THEATRE The theatre program held a one-act play, Off Their Rockers, in the winter. The cast of 10 did an excellent job in their socially-distanced performance with a small audience at Fountain View Recreation Center. Workshops continued to be popular in 2021. One class for older participants, Teen Beach, needed two classes to accommodate a total of 17 participants. Summer allowed us to hold a small group play, Cinderella, with two casts and 36 total actors. Participants again performed socially-distanced at Fountain View with 111 audience members who were happy to get back in the performance world! Theatre also held their first play-in-a-day workshop for the musical Elf at the end of December with 23 participants. In total, theatre generated $13,310 in revenue.
INCLUSION HIGHLIGHTS AUTISM AWARENESS The Carol Stream Park District and Fountain View Fitness hosted a Zumba party in April for Autism Awareness Month. Zumba instructors took the stage in the gym for the Latin-inspired dance party. A portion of the proceeds were donated to the nonprofit organization Autism Speaks, which works to create a kinder and more inclusive world for people with autism. Our partner, the Western DuPage Special Recreation Association (WDSRA), supports individuals with autism through social and recreation programs. Original art work designed by WDSRA participants was on display at the event. Westside Children’s Therapy is a new sponsor to the Park District and is a children’s therapy provider that offers physical, occupational, speech, applied behavior analysis, feeding and counseling therapies.
DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION In 2021 staff participated in three “Safe Zone Conversations” that were led by the Diversity Section of the Illinois Parks and Recreation Association. Staff was able to have open and honest conversations with Diversity Experts in the areas of Racism, LGBTQ+ and Latinx. From these conversations, a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee (DEI) was formed with 11 employees. In addition to establishing our ongoing commitment to DEI, the committee has developed goals that the District has already began to implement, and in 2022, we will celebrate Pride Month and Hispanic Heritage Month internally and throughout the District. Offering a diverse, equal, and inclusive environment is not only important for our employees, but also to the thousands of residents who use the Park District every year!
WDSRA The Western DuPage Special Recreation Association is an extension of the Carol Stream Park District and provides year round recreational programs to individuals of all ages with special needs. In 2021 we supported 36 registrations through WDSRA programming with 1:1 support while participating in park district programming.
PARKS DEPARTMENT HIGHLIGHTS ARMSTRONG PARK "HUB" PLAYGROUND Every year since 2019 the Park District has converted one playground from playground mulch to a synthetic playground turf system. Synthetic turf is less maintenance than wood chips and allows for individuals with disabilities a better recreational experience as it is simply easier to navigate synthetic turf versus wood chips. Everyone is welcome at the Carol Stream Park District, including individuals with disabilities, and we continue to prove that with ADA-type improvements throughout the Park system.
BARK PARK Parks staff improved the Bark Park by installing a split rail fence to keep dogs, and their owners, out of the low wet spot in the large dog area. Staff also planted native plants inside the fenced area to supplement what was already there. This natural area within the Bark Park is also used as an educational area with interpretive signage explaining the plants that reside within.
HERITAGE LAKES RETAINING WALL Two sections of the retaining wall along the eastern edge of Heritage Lake had collapsed into the pond. The wall was reconstructed and drainage added to the back edge of the retaining wall to prevent it from collapsing again.
MITCHELL LAKES TRAIL The District was the proud recipient of a grant through the Illinois Department of Natural Resources for $180,000 to fully reconstruct the 1mile bike/walking trail around Mitchell Lakes. This trail is a heavily used trail providing recreation for residents as well as being a major walking route for school-aged children to and from school. Excessive slopes on the path were eliminated to allow an individual with a mobility issue to easily move along the entire path.
PARKS DEPARTMENT HIGHLIGHTS INTERACTIVE PARKS MAP The interactive parks map enables users to find parks on the go. It is mobile-friendly and responsive. Each park location is a pinpoint on a Google map that allows a user go to directions or to the park’s webpage. The map has a listing of parks and addresses and a listing of park amenities that is searchable. For example, search for soccer goal sets, and the parks that have those goal sets will display. The interactive parks map can be found on the main navigation bar of the csparks.org website.
PARKS DEPARTMENT HIGHLIGHTS PARK COMMUNICATIONS
The Carol Stream Park District started an anti-litter experiment in our parks in 2021 by removing some trash cans in the hopes of creating an environmentally sensitive mindset. The WALK YOUR TRASH HOME campaign is an example of the park district’s effort to do more with less. COVID drastically cut into the earned revenue side of the park district’s business and resulted in staff being cut by more than 25 percent, leaving fewer staff to maintain our 456 acres of open space, 46 parks and playgrounds, and empty trash cans. Removing trash cans from various locations gained us 40 hours a week of staff time to use towards open space, sport fields, park and playground upkeep. Walking your trash home is an environmentally conscious mindset, representing respect of our community and fellow residents. The campaign asked that our residents be a good neighbor and help us in this new way to keep our parks clean.
SCOOP YOUR POOP We partnered with the Lower DuPage River Watershed Coalition to share their “Scoop the Poop” campaign. When we all take responsibility to clean up after our pets, we make our neighborhoods, parks, and preserves clean and healthy places to be. Picking up dog poop every time, everywhere also protects our rivers and streams from nutrients and bacteria in pet waste that stormwater runoff brings into nearby waterways.
FACILITIES HIGHLIGHTS ADA IMPROVEMENTS The District welcomes individuals of all abilities to our programs, parks and facilities. We take pride in providing well-maintained, thoughtful spaces which will accommodate all disabilities. The District follows an updated ADA Transition Plan. Each year we select various projects throughout our parks and facilities that will create a more positive recreational experience for individuals with disabilities. In 2021 we raised playground mulch levels at 60% of our playgrounds to meet ADA standards. The remaining playgrounds will be completed in 2022 or have already been converted to synthetic turf. Additionally, an ADA wheelchair was provided to the Fountain View Recreation Center therapy pool so individuals with mobility concerns now have the ability to transfer out of their personal chair, into a chair specifically made for entering bodies of water. The District also updated all signage throughout every facility to include braille. Lastly, the largest improvement the District made in 2021 was the complete reconstruction of the Mitchell Lakes Bike/Walking trail. We were able to remove a path that was not ADA accessible and replace the 1-mile loop, making it fully accessible throughout. Everyone is welcome at the Carol Stream Park District, and we continue to update and repair so all ages and abilities can have a positive recreational experience while visiting our programs, parks and facilities.
GEOTHERMAL MODULE REPAIR The Fountain View Recreation Center is heated through a geothermal heating system which requires water to heat and cool the building unlike a conventional forced air system. Three modules are responsible for the heating and cooling process throughout the building, and one of them needed to be replaced. This was a major undertaking, taking over one full week to accomplish.
FACILITIES HIGHLIGHTS LED LIGHT CONVERSIONS We replaced 36 light fixtures in the Fountain View Recreation Center parking lot. The new LED lights are 5000 KELVIN, which is the brightest rated LED light available. It gives off a cool daylight appearance. The ambiance of the light is described as crisp and invigorating and lends to personal security.
The gym lights at the Fountain View Recreation Center were converted to LED fixtures as well as the two fitness studios. The newly renovated Premier Room was converted to LED. The District also converted multiple rooms at the Simkus Recreation Center. These light conversions were accomplished through the ComEd Rebate Program.
After
Before
PREMIER ROOM We renovated a room at the Fountain View Recreation Center to accommodate private small events. The room has a full-sized refrigerator, sink, smart TV and a private restroom. Great for baby or wedding showers, birthday parties, small company meetings, the room also has a window view of the Carol Stream Town Center.
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS