About • NewsInvitation to Participate in Focus Groups
February 18, 2013
I encourage you to review the input gathering plan outlined below and attached. Once we confirm your participation, we will send additional information for your advance review. We will report back to all participants once input is documented. Please view the 2013 Input Gathering Plan (PDF) for more information.
DuPage Sensory Garden Playground Initiative Featured by Naperville Community TelevisionFor more information, please visit: http://www.nctv17.com/businessconnection/ Want to learn more about the DuPage Sensory Garden Playground Initiative? Visit http://www.dupagesensoryplay.org.
STATE OF THE PARK DISTRICTby Park District President John Kelly For years, the Wheaton Park District has been recognized by both local and national organizations as one of the finest Park Districts in Illinois and 2012 was an outstanding year for us. Participation in Park District Programs and use of Park District Facilities continued to rise. Take a look below to see the number of people we connected with in 2012. From these numbers, you can see that the Wheaton Park District, its partners and volunteers have been busy improving the quality of the lives of Wheaton Residents with its various recreational offerings and facilities. 2012 was also a big year for the Park District in terms of Accomplishments. Here’s an update on a few of the more significant ones: Partnership with Bradford Development: This partnership preserved the Hubble Gymnasiums and open Athletic Space for the numerous programs held there in addition to bringing Mariano’s Fresh Market to the City of Wheaton. Northside Park Redevelopment: 2012 marked the substantial accomplishment of this 3 year project complete with shoreline restorations and plantings, the playground, bridges, fishing piers, energy efficient LED lighting and utility upgrades... View the complete 'State of the District' »
Recognition for Eagle Scout, Troop 23, Scott Fleming
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Photo: on left, Ray Morrill, Park Board President
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Contact: Finalists Announced for the 2011 National Gold Medal Awards AAPRA and NRPA select agencies to compete for prestigious honor in the park and recreation industry ASHBURN, Va., May 5, 2011 – The American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration (AAPRA), in partnership with the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA), is pleased to announce the finalists for the 2011 National Gold Medal Awards for Excellence in Park and Recreation Management. This year’s proud sponsor of the Gold Medal Awards program is Musco Lighting LLC. Founded in 1965, the Gold Medal Awards program honors communities in the U.S. that demonstrate excellence in parks and recreation through long-range planning, resource management, volunteerism, environmental stewardship, program development, professional development and agency recognition. Applications are separated into five classes based on population with a state park system class every other year, and agencies are judged on their ability to address the needs of those they serve through the collective energies of citizens, staff and elected officials. Four finalists in each class are chosen to compete for grand honors each year. |
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The 2011 Gold Medal finalists are:
Class I (population 250,000 and over)
- Kansas City Parks and Recreation, Mo.
- Mecklenburg County Parks and Recreation Department, N.C.
- Miami-Dade County Park and Recreation Department, Fla.
- Portland Parks and Recreation, Ore.
Class II (population 100,001 – 250,000)
- Boise Parks and Recreation Department, Idaho
- City of Lakewood Department of Community Resources, Colo.
- Rockford Park District, Ill.
- Roswell Recreation, Parks, Historic and Cultural Affairs Department, Ga.
Class III (population 50,001 – 100,000)
- City of Kettering Parks, Recreation and Cultural Arts, Ohio
- Plymouth Parks and Recreation Department, Minn.
- Waukesha Parks, Recreation and Forestry, Wis.
- Wheaton Park District, Ill.
Class IV (population 25,001 – 50,000)
- Elmhurst Park District, Ill.
- Town of Parker Parks and Recreation, Colo.
- Salisbury Parks and Recreation, N.C.
- West Bend Parks, Recreation and Forestry, Wis.
Class V (population less than 25,000)
- City of Cullman Park and Recreation Department, Ala.
- City of Fairfax Parks and Recreation Department, Va.
- City of Green River Parks and Recreation Department, Wyo.
- City of Lafayette, Colo.
State Awards (for state agencies, given every other year)
- Florida Park Service, Division of Recreation and Parks, Florida DEP
- Michigan Department of Natural Resources
- Missouri Division of State Parks
- North Carolina State Parks and Recreation
A panel of five park and recreation professionals reviews and judges all application materials. Judges are chosen for their considerable experience and knowledge in parks and recreation on both the local and national levels.
This year’s finalists competed for Grand Plaque Award honors and the six Grand Plaque recipients were announced live during NRPA’s Annual Congress & Exposition in Atlanta, Ga., Nov. 1-3, 2011.
Following are the lists of winners for 2011:
Class I (population 250,000 and over)
- Portland Parks and Recreation, Portland, OR
Class II (population 100,001 – 250,000)
- City of Lakewood Department of Community Resources, Lakewood, CO
Class III (population 50,001 – 100,000)
- City of Waukesha Parks, Recreation and Forestry, Waukesha, WS
Class IV (population 20,001 – 50,000)
- Town of Parker Parks and Recreation, Parker, CO
Class V (population less than 20,000)
- City of Fairfax Parks and Recreation Department, Fairfax, VA
For more information on the Gold Medal Awards, go to www.nrpa.org/awards or www.aapra.org.
The American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration is a non-profit organization founded to advance knowledge related to the administration of recreation and parks; to encourage scholarly efforts by both practitioners and educators that would enhance the practice of park and recreation administration; to promote broader public understanding of the importance of parks and recreation to the public good; and, to conduct research, publish scholarly papers and sponsor seminars related to the advancement of park and recreation administration. For more information, visit www.aapra.org.
The National Recreation and Park Association is a national not-for-profit organization dedicated to advancing park, recreation and conservation efforts that enhance quality of life for all people. Through its network of 20,000 recreation and park professionals and citizens, NRPA encourages the promotion of healthy lifestyles, recreation initiatives, and conservation of natural and cultural resources. For more information, visit www.NRPA.org. For digital access to NRPA’s flagship publication, Parks & Recreation, visit www.parksandrec-magazine.org.
Musco Lighting, LLC is a company that has specialized in lighting systems for sports and large areas for more than 30 years. Musco has pioneered dramatic improvements in energy efficiency and affordable ways to control wasted spill light and glare. Permanent and temporary lighting services range from neighborhood fields to NASCAR super speedways. For more information, visit www.musco.com.
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4/26/11
Wheaton Park District Gets 590 Kites in the Air Simultaneously at Go Fly a Kite Event
On Sunday, April 17, 2011, the Wheaton Park District and area residents attempted to break last year’s record of 843 kites in the air simultaneously at the 3rd Annual Go Fly a Kite event! With plenty of wind and sun, we were able to get 590 kites in the air at once!
The event took take place at Graf Park in Wheaton. The free event included kite making, an amazing Grand Launch, concessions and vendors, games for the kids, and demonstrations by the Chicago Fire Kite Team and professional kite flyers.
The Wheaton Park District is planning next year’s kite event for the month of April, National Kite Flying Month.
Thank you to our event sponsors, Jerry Haggerty and T-Mobile, Danada location.
Click here to view photos from the event.
Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting
January 6, 2011
Special Message from the Director
Warm new year’s greetings to you all! As we begin our 2011 journey together, I am compelled to extend our most sincere gratitude to you, our Residents and Customers, for choosing to spend your leisure time with us during 2010. The Board of Commissioners, Staff and Volunteers of the Wheaton Park District are proud to serve you and strive to provide the very best value and life enriching experiences for your family.
Your Park District is among the Best of the Best! I am very proud to report that during 2010, your Park District was recognized with several local, state and national distinctions and awards. Special thanks to the staff and citizen volunteer team members that made these accomplishments possible!
- The Wheaton Park District received the Illinois Association of Park District’s “Best Green Practices” Award
- The Wheaton Park District received the Illinois Park and Recreation Association’s “No Employee Left Behind” Award for its outstanding internal service programs
- The Illinois Park and Recreation Association’s “Citizen Volunteer of the Year” Award was presented to two DuPage County Historical Museum volunteers Jean and Jerry Gieraltowski.
- The Illinois Association of Museums “Citizen Volunteer of the Year” Award was presented to DuPage County Historical Museum Guild Chairperson Mary Udelhofen.
- Cosley Zoo Staff achieved American Zoological Association Accreditation
- Recreation Department Summer Camps Staff achieved American Camping Association Accreditation
- Northside Family Aquatic Center and Rice Pool & Water Park Staff earned the “Gold Award” from Ellis and Associates (an international aquatic facility safety association) for their excellent safety record and training program
- Arrowhead was named “Best Restaurant” by the Wheaton Chamber of Commerce Membership
- The Finance Team earned the Government Finance Officers Association’s “Excellence in Financial Reporting” Award
2010-2015 Agency Strategic Plan – You are invited to review the District’s 5 year continuous improvement program which is available here.
In future newsletters, I will continue to share aspects and updates from this internally developed plan.
Our Team Vision
We, the Wheaton Park District Team, have committed to service excellence, financial sustainability, and an enriched quality of life for our stakeholders. We accomplish this through continuous improvement of people and systems while living our values which include: Integrity, Fun, Adaptability, Growth, Commitment, Kindness and Service.
Michael Benard, Executive Director
mbenard@wheatonparks.org
January 6, 2011
Wheaton Park District Sends Playground to Haiti
Partnering with Kids Around the World to Serve the Children in Haiti
The Wheaton Park District has partnered with Kids Around the World to send the playground equipment, originally located at Northside Park, to Haiti. The playground was divided into 4 different units that will be installed at 4 different churches in Port Au Prince Haiti. Starting in January, Kids Around the World will be sending teams of volunteers to Haiti to install the playgrounds.
Kids Around the World was founded in 1994 with the goal to provide safe play equipment for children that found themselves in situations where it was difficult to just be a "kid". So often children find themselves as victims of situations out of their control, they become victims of economic stress, victims of political injustice, victims of natural disasters, and worst of all, victims of war. It was for these children that Kids Around the World began. Kids Around the World partners with many organizations and foundations to install the playgrounds in these devastated countries around the world. “Things are very rough in Haiti and we are still waiting on an exact time we can get in. As of right now, we cannot fly into Port Au Prince because of all the unrest,” stated Tim Clauson, Playground Director for Kids Around the World. 
The mission statement of the Wheaton Park District is to enrich the quality of community life through a diversity of healthy leisure pursuits and heightened appreciation for our natural world. Mike Benard, Executive Director of the Wheaton Park District acknowledged, “The Wheaton Park District is proud to donate this playground equipment to the children of Haiti. If we can make the lives of these children, who have been so devastated by these earthquakes a little brighter, then we have enriched the quality of life in a remote part of our world.”
For more information, please contact Margie Wilhelmi at 630-510-4984 or at mwilhelmi@wheatonparks.org.
Sept. 22, 2010
Chris Ludwig Recognized
Chris Ludwig was recognized at the September 22, 2010 Wheaton Park District Board Meeting for receiving the 2010 Boccia National Team Championship Silver Medal.
He is an accomplished young man…
- He has played Bocce with WDSRA for more than 10 years
- He has won numerous national tournaments
- He was a member of Team USA and played in international competition
- He recently graduated with a Masters Degree in English from Eastern Illinois University
- He plans to someday write a novel
Sept. 9, 2010
Illinois Association of Park Districts' 2010 Best of Best Awards
Best Green Practices - Wheaton Park District
Wheaton Park District won the award for Best Green Practices for taking the initiative to incorporate and encourage environmentally friendly business practices and policies.
See the submission for this award »
Runner Up for Best Friend of Illinois Parks (Large Business Category) - Central DuPage Hospital
"Best Friend of Illinois Parks" is awarded to a business or corporation demonstrating exemplary support of a local park district, forest preserve, conservation, recreation or special recreation agency.
See the submission (by Wheaton Park District) for this award »
2010 Awards Gala
The 2010 Awards Gala will take place October 1, 2010 at Wheeling Park District's Chevy Chase Country Club, 1000 N. Milwaukee Avenue, Wheeling, IL 60090. For more information about this event, please contact: Sue Triphahn at striphahn@ILparks.org. Online registration will be accepted through September 24, 2010 here.
For more information about the Illinois Association of Park Districts, or a complete list of winners, please visit: http://www.ilparks.org/
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Arrowhead Golf Club Named Best of Weddings in
THE KNOT BEST OF WEDDINGS 2010
Wheaton, IL (January 26, 2010) -- Arrowhead Golf Club is pleased to announce it has been selected as a 2010 winner in The Knot Best of Weddings, a special section in The KnotChicago magazine and on theknot.com Weddings from The Knot (NASDAQ: KNOT; www.theknot.com), the number-one wedding resource that’s most trusted by brides.
The Knot Best of Weddings 2010 provides a “by brides, for brides” guide to the top wedding professionals across the country, and is a must-have when it comes to selecting the best-of-the-best wedding resources. From New York florists and Seattle bridal salons to DC makeup artists, engaged couples will find detailed feedback on local wedding businesses reviewed by thousands of newlyweds who had great things to say.
Perfect memories are made here.
Arrowhead provides extraordinary facilities, delectable cuisine, supreme service, and spectacular views. Every aspect of your special event can be customized to your satisfaction. Our facility accommodates 20 to 300 guests. Arrowhead is the perfect site for wedding receptions and private parties.
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About The Knot Inc.
The Knot Inc. (NASDAQ: KNOT; www.theknot.com) is a leading lifestage media company. The Company's flagship brand, The Knot, is the nation's leading wedding resource, reaching well over a million engaged couples each year through the #1 wedding website, TheKnot.com. Other products from The Knot include The Knot national and local magazines, The Knot books (published by Random House and Chronicle) and television programming bearing The Knot name (aired on the Style and Comcast Networks). The Company also owns WeddingChannel.com, the most visited wedding gift registry website.
Northside Park Phase 1 Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
Thursday, October 14 at 4:30 p.m.
Northside Park Playground Pavilion ~ 1300 N. West Street in Wheaton
Stop by and see the projects that have been completed and what is planned for the near future. Light refreshments will be served.
Questions?
For more information about this event, please email or call the Wheaton Park District Planning Department at (630) 510-4975.
For additional project updates, click here.
Turfgrass Leaf Rust
Rust is a disease of bluegrass. It often appears on residential lawns and high use athletic fields. Rust is largely cosmetic, but the orange spores that dislodge easily from leaf surfaces can be a greater nuisance, covering shoes, pets and lawnmowers with a rusty residue. These spores, carried by the wind or equipment, spread the disease to other areas during the growing season.
Rust outbreaks are most common in late summer and early fall, although the sometimes the disease is active in the early spring. Summer heat and drought stress along with over use and compaction contribute highly to the presence of rust on turf.
This turfgrass disease is not harmful to humans, pets or even the turf. In a heavy year it can make the grass appear thinner than normal but that can be said for just about all grass blades at this time of year. Regular mowing reduces the abundance of orange spores and adding fertilizer can also help. Both of these practices are done by the park district.
Help Donate to the Museum!
Wooden Train Sets
The Museum is currently seeking wooden train sets to be placed in the children’s activity room. We ask that the trains be in good condition and, if possible, complete sets. The goal of the museum is to create an atmosphere where visitors are able to experience hands on fun and education about the Museum collections and how they relate to DuPage County.
Donations can be made now through the end of the year. To make a donation, please contact Sara Arnas at 630-665-4710.
All donations are tax deductible. Values will be determined by the donor.
Wheaton Park District Goes Green!
The Board of Park Commissioners voted to adopt an environmental policy recommended by staff at the January 21, 2009 board meeting. The Wheaton Park District’s commitment to environmental stewardship and appreciation of increasing public awareness and concern about environmental issues led to the creation of an Environmental Policy Committee and development of a park district policy. The policy will assist the Wheaton Park District to achieve environmental excellence in all park district programming and operations and will further promote the district’s role model status of sound environmental practices. By educating the staff and community it will lead to changes in practices, which will result in positive environmental changes overall. As a park district we are committed to setting an example and adopting a leadership position in establishing and maintaining sound environmental policies, practices and educational opportunities for the employees and patrons of the Wheaton Park District.
View more information about the Environmental Policy »
>>> Looking for the Wheaton Bikeway and Pedestrian Improvement Plan? Click here
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