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Park District of Oak Park Relaunches Design Competition for Field Center Renovation

field center

OAK PARK, IL (Feb. 12, 2024) – The Park District of Oak Park today announced a design competition to renovate and/or replace Field Center, a classroom facility in Field Park. The renovation project will modernize and enhance the historic building to meet the Park District’s growing childcare and children’s programming needs.

Registration for the competition opens on February 12 and closes on March 5, 2024. Each applicant team must pre-register for the competition, and there is no application fee. Registered teams can tour Field Center and other Park District of Oak Park facilities to understand further the District’s aesthetic priorities and core values of inclusivity, accessibility and environmental sustainability.

“Inclusivity is integral to our mission as a Park District, and we have to imbue it in everything we do,” said Jan Arnold, Executive Director of the Park District of Oak Park. “It was essential to hold an open competition and implement a blind review process so that designers of all backgrounds have an opportunity to compete on the same stage as groups that are traditionally more visible.”

Improvements will include an additional classroom to support expanded day camp and after-school programming and a soundproof room and stage for recording and performance arts. “Updating and adding amenities to this historic space will help ensure it reflects our diverse community and its needs so that everyone is and feels welcome,” Arnold said.

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, whose designs were also built at the Park District’s Fox, Stevenson, Andersen and Carroll Parks.

“This competition represents not just a chance to redefine an important community space, but also an opportunity to engage with the rich architectural legacy and forward-thinking spirit of Oak Park,” said Chris Lindgren, Park District of Oak Park Superintendent of Parks and Planning. “We eagerly anticipate the innovative designs that will emerge and invite our best architects, designers and creative teams to join us in this exciting journey.”

The competition jury, comprised of architects, designers and building experts from the community, will select the winning team after reviewing all submissions and interviewing the finalists. The winning team will be awarded a $1.8 million contract to complete the construction.

For more information and to participate in the competition, please contact Edith Wood at (708) 725-20217 or 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/.

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PDOP Named 2023 Gold Medal Award Finalist

Park District of Oak Park leaders pose with National Gold Medal Award Finalist plaque

For the third consecutive year, the Park District of Oak Park was named a finalist of the National Gold Medal Award, the most prestigious award in the industry.

The American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration (AAPRA), in partnership with the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA), judges park districts nationwide by their long-range planning, resource management, and innovative approach to excellent park and recreation services. After a rigorous application and evaluation process, the PDOP was named one of the top four finalists for the Class IV category (population between 30,001 to 75,000).

This year alone, the PDOP opened the Community Recreation Center, a net-zero building, started a partnership with the Community Mental Health Board to improve access to mental health resources, implemented accessible, inclusive playground features for children with disabilities, and allocated hundreds of thousands of dollars in financial assistance to community members.

Above all, the dedication of our board, staff, volunteers, and community members made this distinction possible. We are honored to be recognized as one of the best park districts in the nation and look forward to carrying out this legacy for years to come.

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Aquatics Team Earns Prestigious Award

Aquatic Safety staff pose with 2023 award

The Park District of Oak Park was named a 2023 Platinum International Aquatic Safety Award winner. This prestigious recognition is awarded to the top 10 percent of aquatic safety teams who exceed industry standards for risk management and aquatic safety.

Our aquatic facilities, Rehm and Ridgeland, were evaluated by Ellis & Associates during Unannounced Aquatic Safety Audits during the 2023 swim season. We are proud of our exceptional staff and lifeguards who are committed to the safety of our swimmers. Congratulations Aquatic Safety team!

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Pleasant Home News

pleasant home

As a National Historic Landmark with significant meaning to the Oak Park community, the Park District welcomes community members and visitors from around the world to experience the beauty and splendor of Pleasant Home through organized, docent-led tours.

The Park District is thrilled to continue working with the current docents (formerly managed under the Pleasant Home Foundation) who allow visitors to experience the beauty and history of this great architectural treasure. The current docents are deeply dedicated, and we are extremely grateful for their continued efforts and all that they do to bring Pleasant Home to life.

The Park District is fully committed to protecting and preserving the Home for generations to come. The Park District and Pleasant Home Foundation worked for many years toward its care and preservation. While Pleasant Home Foundation has completed its mission of preservation of the Home, we are grateful for the years of collaborative work and believe this partnership has allowed Pleasant Home to be cared for with great passion and dedication.

To continue the preservation of this National Historic Landmark, the Park District will work directly with restoration experts from State and Federal agencies to ensure the proper care and maintenance of this great community asset. Like Cheney Mansion and Oak Park Conservatory, which are also owned and managed by the Park District, we are committed to the proper care, maintenance, and restoration of our community’s historic treasures.

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Jan Arnold Elected to the AAPRA   

“Jan Arnold Elected to the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration“

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Executive Director Jane H. Adams 

(206) 823-3164

October 6, 2023

Jan Arnold, Executive Director, Park District of Oak Park, has been elected as a Fellow into the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration. Jan was recently inducted at the Academy’s virtual General Membership Meeting October 4, 2023.  

The Academy is an organization of distinguished practitioners and educators who are leaders in the parks and recreation profession. To be elected into the Academy, the individual must have served for at least 15 years in a high level of administration in a park and recreation agency or as a recognized educator in parks and recreation administration or they must manage a park and recreation department for a community with a population of more than 500,000. They also must have demonstrated outstanding ability in administration, management or education in the profession; displayed broad interest with a direct service benefit to the advancement of public parks and recreation or assumed leadership with a keen desire to contribute to the advancement of the field. The Academy is limited to 137 active members. 

Established in 1980, the Academy was formed to advance knowledge related to the administration of recreation and parks; to support and encourage scholarly efforts by both practitioners and educators to 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/or sponsor seminars related to the advancement of park and recreation administration. 

“The Class of 2023 is a great addition to the Academy,” said President Janet Bartnik, Prince William County Department of Parks and Recreation, Virginia, “The Academy is honored to induct Jan Arnold into its ranks.  The Academy represents a diverse group of professionals and educators – all with superior career experience and a dedication to improving the quality of life through the provision of high-quality parks and recreation opportunities. We welcome our distinguished class of 2023 Fellows.” 

More information on the Academy is available at www.aapra.org. A biography of Jan Arnold follows and a photo is attached. 

Jan has an extensive career in the field of parks and recreation with over 25 years of experience. Before joining the Park District of Oak Park, Jan served as the CEO for the Illinois Parks and Recreation Association. She has worked in government, not-for-profit, as well as the private sector, including serving as the Vice President of Programs and Membership for the YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago; Superintendent of Recreation for Wheeling Park District; Chief Administrative Officer for the City of Chicago’s Department of Aviation; and Senior Manager for KPMG.

Jan earned a M.B.A. from Lake Forest Graduate School of Management, a M.S. for Indiana University in Sports Administration, and a B.S. in Therapeutic Recreation and Not-for-Profit Management from Murray State in Kentucky.  Jan and her family reside in Oak Park, Illinois.