Organizational Excellence

PERFORMANCE

PERFORMANCE

The Park District strives to be a model government organization both in the Oak Park community as well as in the field of parks and recreation. The following charts measure the current quality of the Park District’s efforts regarding risk management, environmental sustainability, operations, and in accomplishing goals and completing plan objectives.

Internal Service Satisfaction

In order for staff to be able to effectively serve our external customers, it’s important that staff are supporting each other internally to the highest level possible.

Who are the stakeholders impacted?
Staff

What does the data say?
The Park District average score was down 3% from 2018.

What is causing the data trend?
The lowest scores were in “forms, technology, and processes” and “proactive and innovative.”

What actions have we taken?
To encourage comments to identify opportunities for improvement, we added a mandatory comment question if a score is under 5 in any area.

What outcome are we trying to achieve?
To strive for operational excellence to encourage organizational excellence.

Staff Ideas Implemented

Launch Pad is the Park District’s innovation platform where employees can share and discuss new ideas. This image shows the amount of innovative ideas, projects or initiatives the Park District has planned from this platform. Click on the image for more details.

Who are the stakeholders impacted?
Staff, Board, Customers, Community

What does the data say?
Prior to 2020, the District used nonresident fees to fund innovation. Those funds were repurposed in 2020 to start the Childcare Discount Model financial assistance program, and combined with the pandemic in 2020 the District saw a sharp decline in innovation engagement. Staff are happy to report that engagement over the last two years is up and exceeding 2019 levels.

What is causing the data trend?
The turn around is attributed to the District’s Innovation Committee as well as dedicated funding for the BIG idea program.

What outcome are we trying to achieve?
To strive for operational excellence to encourage organizational excellence.

Environmental Report Card Score

The Park District measures our environmental leadership through the Illinois Parks and Recreation Association Environmental Scorecard, a bi-annual self-assessment

Who are the stakeholders impacted?
Environmental Sustainability Advisory Committee, Community, Staff

What does the data say?
In 2025, the Park District received a 94% score, up from 90% in 2023.

What is causing the data trend?
Overall, the Park District of Oak Park scores highly in its environmental stewardship efforts. We are earmarked as an agency that is an environmental leader in the field. Staff continuously look for ways to improve our impact on the environment with everything that we do.

What outcome are we trying to achieve?
To strategically align organizational efforts for more sustainability, encouraging organizational excellence.

Accreditations & Awards

The Park District works to be a leader among park and recreation agencies throughout the country. By voluntarily submitting itself to the above accreditation and awards processes, the community and staff can be assured that the Park District meets or exceeds current industry standards and has processes in place to best serve the Oak Park community.

Alliance for Innovation Robert J. Havlick Award for Innovation in Local Government for our submission, “Launch Pad: Getting Good Ideas Off the Ground.