(Chicago, Illinois)—Government Finance Officers Association is pleased to announce that Park District of Oak Park, Illinois received GFOA’s Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for its budget.
The award represents a significant achievement by the entity. It reflects the commitment of the governing body and staff to meeting the highest principles of governmental budgeting. In order to receive the budget award, the entity had to satisfy nationally recognized guidelines for effective budget presentation. These guidelines are designed to assess how well an entity’s budget serves as:
Budget documents must be rated “proficient” in all four categories, and in the fourteen mandatory criteria within those categories, to receive the award.
There are over 1,700 participants in the Budget Awards Program. The most recent Budget Award recipients, along with their corresponding budget documents, are posted quarterly on GFOA’s website. Award recipients have pioneered efforts to improve the quality of budgeting and provide an excellent example for other governments throughout North America.
Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) advances excellence in government finance by providing best practices, professional development, resources, and practical research for more than 22,500 members and the communities they serve.
Park District of Oak Park Community Recreation Center Celebrates its First Year of Impact; Thousands of community members have found A Place to Belong
(OAK PARK, IL) – Last May, the Park District of Oak Park (PDOP) opened its doors to the new Community Recreation Center (CRC), providing Oak Park children, teens, adults and seniors A Place to Belong with affordable and accessible health and wellness facilities, basketball courts, pickleball courts, walking track and safe after-school programming.
The CRC recently hosted an anniversary celebration with healthy snacks and gifts for members, but the real celebration was the impact on the community.
Providing Access for Everyone
“We have served over 10,000 individuals at the CRC all within the first year of opening, showing the real need for this space,” said Jan Arnold, Park District of Oak Park executive director. “We’re proud to help advance the health and wellness of our residents – giving kids a place to go after school and providing accessible resources for recreation.”
Elisa Mathis of Oak Park joined the CRC when it opened and has benefited from a CRC scholarship. “Without the scholarship, I could not afford the gym or any activities.” Since joining the CRC, Mathis has seen her health improve. During the week, you’ll find her walking the indoor track or working out in the fitness center. She also participates in several active adult programs.
Oak Park’s Only Indoor Basketball Courts
When planning began in 2019, there were a few amenities residents identified as “must haves,” including an indoor basketball court. Before the CRC, Oak Park had no indoor basketball court, leaving a significant gap in programming opportunities and safe spaces for children and teens after school and on weekends.
The indoor basketball court and renewed interest in the WNBA have spurred a growing interest in the PDOP’s women’s basketball league, bucking a nationwide trend of female participation declining in sports. “Our league is growing every year,” Arnold said.
Oak Park resident Lindsay Gaskins celebrates the program’s growth. “There are so many women who played basketball in their past that are coming out of the woodwork and starting to play again, which is great.”
Safe Spaces
When the school bell rings, where do kids go? They head to the CRC for open gym, tutoring and epic e-sports battles.
But Oak Park teens seek more than a place to exercise or hang out with friends. They’re also looking for safe spaces to share their thoughts, feelings and experiences – a place to seek a listening ear, guidance and resources in a private and nonjudgmental manner.
The Park District partnered with the Community Mental Health Board of Oak Park. “If teens are struggling with suicidal ideation or feelings of hopelessness, they know they are not alone,” said Cheryl Potts, executive director of the Community Mental Health Board of Oak Park Township. The group has offered 35 free workshops and supported more than 200 community members.
Positively Impacting the Environment
The Park District is committed to sustainability and designed the CRC as a certified Net Zero building. To achieve this, the building features:
But Wait, There’s More
In one year, the CRC also:
For more information on the CRC, visit pdop.org/crc.
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About Park District of Oak Park: The Park District of Oak Park serves the recreation needs of Oak Park’s 53,000 residents, providing nearly 3,000 programs and special events annually throughout our versatile recreation centers, 18 parks totaling 84 acres, two outdoor pools, indoor ice rink, gymnastic center, the Oak Park Conservatory, Cheney Mansion and Pleasant Home. Since 1912, our high-quality programs and well-maintained parks and facilities have dependably met residents’ diverse leisure, wellness, childcare
and other needs and helped enhance quality of life. Learn more at https://pdop.org/.
Oak Park, IL (May 21, 2024)—The Park District of Oak Park has announced the finalists in its design competition to renovate or replace the Field Center.
After a robust public viewing session with an opportunity for community members to provide feedback for consideration, the panel of eight jurors convened and selected the finalists based on their conceptual design. The finalists are:
“The range of design concepts we received was remarkable,” said Jan Arnold, Executive Director of the Park District of Oak Park. “I look forward to what these three teams can bring to us for the next round of consideration. Oak Park is a unique community and the winning design must rise to the challenge of meeting the evolving needs of our community.”
Finalists received comments, insights and suggestions for consideration from the jury. They will each be given a small stipend to further develop the design, including structural concept, windows and exterior finishes. The finalized plan must also include a budget estimate.
Each finalist will present their design plan to a new jury, which will include three members of Park District leadership, a Board Commissioner and three members of the previous jury. The winning team will be announced on June 28 and awarded a $1.8 million contract to complete the construction.
Patrick Brown of ORG Inc. set forth a vision that he calls “generously sustainable,” meaning it isn’t just about the materials used in the building process, but about the overall impact. “Being green and using ecologically sustainable materials is important, but there’s more we need to consider. We’re designing a public building for the community,” he said. “It’s an opportunity to ask how we’re championing sustainable communities; how are we being supportive, welcoming and inclusive in our facilities as Oak Park clearly strives to be.”
Finalist Kenneth Dahlin leaned on his experience as a scholar and practicing professional in
organic architecture. “I was intrigued by the intersection of elements that this competition brought together—the city of Oak Park and its rich organic tradition; a revisiting of a 100-year old competition actually entered by Frank Lloyd Wright and John Van Bergen; the opportunity to express a deep tradition of Oak Park in a new way yet respecting the spirit and beauty of that movement; the opportunity to express the vitality of the organic idea in architecture for our age.” Dahlin’s concept retains the 100-year-old fireplace, letting it serve as the centerline and “trunk” of his design.
Finalist Gregory Klosowski entered the competition because the project is close to home – literally. “I moved to Oak Park in 2011, and my family used to play on the current site. I feel intimately connected with the area and its needs.” His design concept is a modern interpretation of prairie-style architecture with a butterfly roof, allowing more light into the building and supporting a green roof. “We call the new building a flutterby sanctuary – it’s named after what my children used to call butterflies. Here, the flutterbies are the children.”
Submissions can be seen on the Park District’s website.
The competition is a callback to the Field Center’s original construction: It was developed after a design competition for a “Playground Structure” in 1926, won by John Van Bergen. Van Bergen’s designs were also built at the Park District’s Fox, Stevenson, Andersen and Carroll parks.
For further information, visit https://pdop.org/ or contact Edith Wood at edith.wood@pdop.org.
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The Park District of Oak Park serves the recreation needs of Oak Park’s 52,000 residents, providing nearly 8,000 programs and special events annually throughout our versatile recreation centers, 18 parks totaling 84 acres, a community recreation center, two outdoor pools, indoor ice rink, gymnastic center, the Oak Park Conservatory, Cheney Mansion and Pleasant Home. Since 1912, our high-quality programs and well-maintained parks and facilities have dependably met residents’ diverse leisure, wellness, childcare and other needs and helped enhance quality of life. Learn more at https://www.pdop.org/.
On May 21, 2023, the Community Recreation Center opened its doors to Oak Park. It has been an incredible inaugural year, and we can’t wait for what’s still ahead!
We celebrated the CRC’s birthday with healthy snacks in the lobby, and a special gift for members that dropped by.
Here’s a snapshot of the past year at the CRC:
The creation of the Community Recreation Center began over 10 years ago. At the time, although Oak Park enjoyed many park district services and amenities, residents lacked access to a gymnasium, fitness facility, indoor walking track, and community center that served families and individuals including the growing senior population. Based on public engagement through surveys and a feasibility study, we believed the construction of a Community Recreation Center would meet the diverse needs of residents of all ages, abilities, backgrounds, and economic statuses.
The CRC was built to be a Net Zero building, a testament to the Park District’s commitment to sustainability. The CRC allows us to make the most of our natural resources, minimize our carbon footprint, reduce reliance on fossil fuels, and create an inspiring model for future facilities. Learn more about Net Zero Energy here.
The CRC offers a wide range of amenities that cater to our diverse community. Click on the text below to learn more about each feature.
The CRC is a welcome and open space for all Oak Park residents to enjoy. Everyone deserves a space to move, learn, connect, and thrive. There is a place for you at the CRC. Come explore!
