General Information • News

Photo: on left, Ray Morrill, Park Board President
with Al Zamsky.

Wheaton Park District Recognized Al Zamsky, Long-Time Volunteer.
Al Zamsky was recognized at the November 30, 2011 board meeting for his many years of volunteer service and commitment to the Wheaton Park District. Here is a snapshot of Al’s life and what an important role he has played at the Wheaton Park District and to the thousands of residents he has served.

• Consultant and first manager of the Rice Pool and Water Park in 1989.   
• Volunteers to teach the  Jr. Lifeguard class at Rice Pool and assists with all training of lifeguards.
• Hired as first Swim Coach and Aquatics Director at College of DuPage (1968)
• College of DuPage Outstanding Faculty Award (1998)
• Former board member of the American Red Cross
• Member of the Illinois Swimming Coaches Hall of Fame
• Currently teaching swim lessons to adults in therapy programs at a local hospital

View a clip from the November 30, 2011 Board of Commissioners Meeting
featuring the recognition of Mr. Al Zamsky >

 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Margie Wilhelmi
Phone: 630-510-4984
mwilhelmi@wheatonparks.org

WHEATON PARK DISTRICT DONATES PLAYGROUND
Partnering with Kids Around the World to Bring Recreation to Others

WHEATON, ILLINOIS -------The Wheaton Park District has partnered once again with Kids Around the World to send playground equipment, originally located at Briar Patch Park to children around the world. The playground, which was originally installed at Briar Patch Park in 1994, was recently replaced with a new playground. In June, the removed playground was donated. The equipment included structures for school age and pre-school age children, as well as swings, spring rides and sand toys.

The Wheaton Park District also donated the playground equipment that was originally installed at Northside Park to Kids Around the World. The equipment was divided into 4 different units and installed at 4 different churches in Port Au Prince, Haiti.

“Despite the tough economic times, we are glad to be able to replace the playground equipment at Briar Patch Park. The former playground was installed in 1994. After several years, components of playgrounds begin to wear out from use and environmental conditions. The older a set of equipment becomes, the more difficult and costly it is to replace parts that are worn or damaged. We also like to ensure that there are a variety of types of playgrounds throughout the district,” stated Rob Sperl, Director of Planning for the Wheaton Park District.

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.

For more information, please contact Margie Wilhelmi at 630-510-4984 or mwilhelmi@wheatonparks.org.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Sue Wahlgren
Phone: 630-510-5035
swahlgren@wheatonparks.org


NEW BABY CALF BORN AT COSLEY ZOO
Mom and Baby Are Doing Fine!
 
WHEATON, ILLINOIS ------- On Monday, June 13, 2011, an Angus bull calf was born at Cosley Zoo, located at 1356 N. Gary Avenue in Wheaton.  He weighed in at 74.2 lbs.  Mom, Ember, is a first time mom but doing great.  Like his mom, the calf is all black.  Angus cattle are always black, except for a lesser known red strain, and polled, which means hornless.  
 
The baby calf is the 8th baby born this spring. Other new babies include 3 sheep and 4 goats.  During births at the zoo, the staff watches to be sure that the baby presents in the correct position, the birth does not take overly long, the baby is not in distress and the mother begins to take care of the baby immediately after birth.  A careful eye is kept on the baby to be sure that it begins to nurse within one hour of birth.  If for some reason they have difficulty, zoo staff will then step in to gently encourage nursing by the baby.  All in all, a good strong baby does great on its own without much interference.
 
Cosley Zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).  The accreditation process consists of a detailed review and inspection covering all aspects of an institution’s operation including the animal collection; veterinary care; physical facilities; safety; security; finance; staff; governing authority; support organization; involvement in education, conservation, and research; and adherence to AZA policies. Accreditation occurs every five years and is a requirement for zoos and aquariums to be members of AZA. Of approximately 2,800 USDA licensed wildlife exhibitors, only 213 have achieved AZA accreditation.  

Cosley Zoo offers educational programs for groups or individuals and offers a wide variety of summer camps for kids.

For more information regarding Cosley Zoo or to become a member of the zoo, visit their web site at http://www.cosleyzoo.org or contact the zoo at 630-665-5534.

The 2011 Gold Medal finalists are: 

Class I (population 250,000 and over)

1. Kansas City Parks and Recreation, Mo.
2. Mecklenburg County Parks and Recreation Department, N.C.
3. Miami-Dade County Park and Recreation Department, Fla.
4. Portland Parks and Recreation, Ore.

Class II (population 100,001 – 250,000)

1. Boise Parks and Recreation Department, Idaho
2. City of Lakewood Department of Community Resources, Colo.
3. Rockford Park District, Ill.
4. Roswell Recreation, Parks, Historic and Cultural Affairs Department, Ga.

Class III (population 50,001 – 100,000)

1. City of Kettering Parks, Recreation and Cultural Arts, Ohio
2. Plymouth Parks and Recreation Department, Minn.
3. Waukesha Parks, Recreation and Forestry, Wis.
4. Wheaton Park District, Ill.

Class IV (population 25,001 – 50,000)

1. Elmhurst Park District, Ill.
2. Town of Parker Parks and Recreation, Colo.
3. Salisbury Parks and Recreation, N.C.
4. West Bend Parks, Recreation and Forestry, Wis.
   

Class V (population less than 25,000)           

1. City of Cullman Park and Recreation Department, Ala.
2. City of Fairfax Parks and Recreation Department, Va.
3. City of Green River Parks and Recreation Department, Wyo.
4. City of Lafayette, Colo.

State Awards (for state agencies, given every other year)

1. Florida Park Service, Division of Recreation and Parks, Florida DEP
2. Michigan Department of Natural Resources
3. Missouri Division of State Parks
4. 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

Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting awarded to Wheaton Park District by Government Finance Officers Association (PDF) >>

January 6, 2011
Special Message from the Director

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 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.

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