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Celebrating One Year of the CRC

happy birthday banner at crc

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:

  • Welcomed 5,000 members and 6,000 walking track members
  • Provided afterschool programming to over 1,200 middle and high school students, with access to homework tutoring, mental health resources, sports, and other activities
  • Offered 40 walk-in hours per week with the Community Mental Health Board
  • Hosted 30 public events and meetings, including the Oak Park/River Forest Chamber of Commerce Health and Wellness Fair
  • …and so much more!

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!

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Boys Gymnastics Places at National Championships

boys gymnastics national qualifiers

Five members of the Park District of Oak Park boys gymnastics team—Matthew Adler, Renny Barnitz, Josh Negron, Josh Oxer, and Trevor Rice—competed at the USA Gymnastics Development Program National Championships in Daytona Beach, Florida from May 7-May 12.

Oxer placed 3rd all-around, Barnitz placed 4th all-around, and Adler placed 13th all-around. Oxer was also part of the Region 5 Team, where his scores counted toward an overall team award.

In addition, four gymnasts from the Park District boys gymnastics team qualified for the USA Gymnastics Development Program Eastern National Championships: Patrick Britton, San Bohrer, TJ Carr, and Luca Depa. They traveled to Ohio to compete in late April.

 “The boys who qualified truly worked extremely hard to achieve this level of competition,” Kerrigan said. “I am just proud to see all of their hard work pay off, and how professional both our coach and kids represented the Park District of Oak Park.”

Nikko Winstead coaches the boys group and attended the competition alongside the gymnasts.

“Coach Nikko has done a tremendous job with the overall boys program and the results show. He creates a safe, competitive, and most importantly, fun environment,” Kerrigan said.

Congratulations to our boys team on an incredible end to the competitive season!

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Residents Asked to Provide Feedback on Field Center Renovation

field center exterior

Oak Park, IL (April 15, 2024) – As part of the Park District of Oak Park’s design competition to renovate or replace the Field Center, residents are asked to provide feedback during a public comment session.

The public may view the designs at the Community Recreation Center from Thursday, April 25, through Sunday, May 5. Each design display will have a QR code to anonymously collect responses, focusing on how well each design aligns with the Park District’s values.

“Community feedback is a pivotal step in the Field Center renovation,” said Jan Arnold, Executive Director of the Park District of Oak Park. “We want to ensure that the project embodies excellent design principles and reflects the Park District’s sustainable, inclusive and innovative values.”

Judges will view the designs and evaluate each based on creativity, strength of the design concept, functionality, sustainability, interpretation of the design guidelines and public comment. The top three submissions will advance to the next round.

The competition jury, comprised of architects, designers and building experts from the community, will then interview the finalists and review their designs. The winning team will be awarded a $1.8 million contract to complete the construction.

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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About Park District of Oak Park: 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/.