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David Lucas-Kamm Named NWHL Coach of the Year

mite navy team poses with first place banner

The Northwest Hockey League (NWHL) named the Ice Bear’s very own David Lucas-Kamm the Coach of the Year. Congrats, Coach David!

David Lucas-Kamm served as the Head Coach of the Ice Bears Mite Navy team this season. His 8U players underwent amazing growth throughout the season, and took home first place for the second year in a row at the Cheddar Cheese Classic.

“David’s knowledge of the game and skillset he brings to the ice is nothing short of amazing,” Hockey Coordinator Dan Seltzer said. “He teaches his players a true love of the game and makes it evident that success means growing as an individual and as a teammate.”

David exemplifies leadership, consistency, and preparedness. But most of all, win or lose, he instills a love of hockey in his players.

As Hockey Coordinator Emily Franciszkowicz put it, “his passion and dedication for coaching are clear each time he steps on the ice.”

We are grateful for David’s commitment to the Ice Bears!

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PDOP Recognizes Everyday Values Champions

nancy fong holds sustainability certificate

The Park District of Oak Park is committed to fostering a work environment where our values aren’t just words on a wall – they are actively demonstrated in our day-to-day work. The Everyday Values Champions program was designed to recognize and celebrate employees who truly embody these values.

Park District employees nominate their peers for this award, citing specific examples of how they carry out one, or several, of our values. From the pool of nominees, one part-time and one full-time staff member is named the Everyday Values Champion per value.

The Park District of Oak Park’s values are: community engagement, responsible leadership, integrity, innovation, sustainability, and inclusivity.

Please join us in congratulating the 2024 Everyday Values Champions.

Community Engagement
Janice Evans: For her involvement in many community events, including Juneteenth and Hispanic Heritage.
Jeanene Holmes: For creating a welcoming environment in the CRC beyond just the member’s name.

Responsible Leadership
Megan Ulczak: For continuously looking for ways to improve her areas of responsibility including staff accountability.
Pilar Martinez: For striving to help all participant’s needs be met while being incredibly organized.

Integrity
Ernie Compere: For a positive attitude, willingness to help, and consistently addressing park matters with a positive approach.
Rashad Milan: For taking ownership of duties, greeting members, and a willingness to support others when needed.

Innovation
Joe Lilly: For taking on a role to lead the agency’s AI Taskforce and single handedly upgrading the Hub via AI.
Elaine Luther: For being an active user of LaunchPad for idea sharing as well as conversation starters on how to improve.

Sustainability
Hannah Szuch: For providing training for day camp staff to promote sustainable practices as well as sourcing materials for community art projects.
Nancy Fong: For saving and using anything for programs to encourage sustainability in the arts.

Inclusivity
Scott Sekulich: For his tremendous effort in coordinating the D97 / PDOP summer camp partnership.
Ben Melickian: For stepping up and picking up lunches every day from D200 for D97 asylum seekers this summer, ensuring kids had meals every day of camp.

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PDOP Awarded GFOA Award for Excellence in Financial Reporting

gfoa

The Park District of Oak Park’s annual comprehensive financial report for the fiscal year has met the requirements to be awarded GFOA’s Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting.

The Certificate of Achievement is the highest form of recognition in governmental accounting and financial reporting.

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.

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2025 Park & Facility Planning Meetings

colorful smiley faces

Continued investment in our parks and facilities is critical to the Park District’s mission. Each park site plan is revisited and updated within a 10-year period. The Park District revisits each site plan per this policy in order to identify additional park amenities desire by our residents, to budget strategically for these improvements and to be prepared for grant opportunities. To learn more about the Park & Facility Planning process, please click here.

The Oak Park community is invited to attend the following 2025 Park & Facility Planning Review meetings.

Field Center: Tuesday, Jan 21
Cheney Mansion: Wednesday, Apr 2
Barrie Park: Wednesday, Sep 10
Andersen Park: Wednesday, Dec 3

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Urban Forestry at the Park District of Oak Park

conservatory staff pose with shovels next to freshly planted tree

Planting and maintaining a healthy urban forest in our community

The Park District of Oak Park maintains an urban forest composed of 2,588 trees spread across our parks and properties, with 104 different species. Every day, the Park District’s team works in our parks, ensuring that each tree is receiving the care it needs to thrive.

Trees are an essential part of a healthy community. The Chicagoland area is classified as a heat island: it is warmer than the surrounding suburbs and rural parts of Illinois due to the large amounts of surfaces, like roads and buildings, absorbing heat. Heat islands lead to higher energy costs and have also been tied to decreased quality of life.

Planting trees is one of the best ways to fight this phenomenon. Urban forests create shade, filter air and water, add beauty, reduce noise, provide places for recreation, and ultimately mitigate the heat island, leading to greater community wellbeing.

This month, the Park District planted 24 trees across Maple Park, Euclid Park, the Gymnastics & Recreation Center, Rehm Park, Austin Gardens, Carroll Park, Longfellow Park, Fox Park, and Lindberg Park.

When deciding where to plant new trees, the Park District prioritizes parks that have had tree removals, whether due to storm damage, or other reasons. For every tree that is removed, two are planted.

The Park District plants trees based on our ‘recommended’ list of species that are well-suited to Oak Park soils and climate. Species include hackberry, dogwood, aspen, bald cypress, linden, and more.

The Park District is in the process of creating and instating an Urban Forestry Management Plan. This plan will guide goals, budgets, and best practices for urban forest management, with the ultimate goal of increasing and diversifying canopy cover and maximizing the benefits trees offer our community.

Want to learn more about Park District urban forest? Click here to view our interactive tree inventory, fact sheets, and more.