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2.15.21: Program Cancellations

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Due to winter storm warnings, all Park District programs are cancelled that begin at 6pm or later on Monday, February 15, 2021 through 11am on Tuesday, February 16, 2021 including preschool programs. The Park District is waiting for a decision from School District 97 regarding in-person learning. The Clubhouse Afterschool program at all locations will be held on Tuesday, February 16, including the all-day program at Andersen Center, however, if D97 does not have in-person learning, Clubhouse participants will need to provide their own transportation to the program.

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Museum Grant Awarded for Pleasant Home

November 20, 2020

The Park District of Oak Park was recently notified by the Office of Governor Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources that our community will receive a $421,500 grant for the installation of a geothermal system in Pleasant Home. These funds are available from the Illinois Public Museum Capital Grants Program funded through Governor Pritzker’s Rebuild Illinois multi-year state capital program.

Pleasant Home was designed by George W. Maher in 1897 for Chicago banker John Farson. It was in designing Pleasant Home that George Maher perfected his own version of Prairie architecture. Situated in Mills Park, the home was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972 and deemed a National Historic Landmark in 1996. Owned by the Park District since 1939, it was used by many organizations for numerous community events until the Pleasant Home Foundation opened Pleasant Home as a museum in 1990.

Due to the age of this landmark, it does not have air conditioning. As a result, few programs and events are currently held at Pleasant Home in the summer months. The Park District will install a ground source heat pumps (geothermal) system with associated ductwork, pumps, piping and loop field to cool the facility in the warm months and supplement the current heating system in the winter months.

 “The Park District of Oak Park is thrilled to be awarded a State of Illinois Museum Grant for the installation of a geothermal system at Pleasant Home.  This earth-friendly system will provide much-needed air conditioning to our 123-year-old National Historic Landmark,” said Park District Executive Director Jan Arnold.  “By adding air conditioning, the Park District will be able to preserve Pleasant Home’s interiors while allowing us to increase programming, special events and tours in the summer for guests locally and internationally.” This project is slated to begin in fall 2021 and will take approximately 6 months to complete.

The total cost of the project is estimated at $821,000. The remainder of the project funds have been allocated in the Park District of Oak Park’s Capital Improvement Budget. Since 2007 the Park District has been awarded over $6.4 million dollars in Illinois Department of Natural Resources Grants which have allowed the District to stretch existing tax dollars while revitalizing many of our parks and facilities. Executive Director Jan Arnold emphasized “The Park District is very grateful to Governor Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources for this grant funding.”

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Park District Earns National Accreditation in Parks and Recreation

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Oak Park, IL., November 16, 2020 – Park District of Oak Park joins the ranks of elite park and recreation agencies across the country by earning re-accreditation through the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA) and the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA). This distinguished accomplishment was awarded during the 2020 NRPA Annual Conference: A Virtual Experience.

CAPRA accreditation is the only national accreditation for park and recreation agencies, and is a measure of an agency’s overall quality of operation, management and service to the community.This mark of distinction indicates that an agency has met rigorous standards related to the management and administration of lands, facilities, resources, programs, safety and services.

As part of the accreditation process, Park District of Oak Park had to demonstrate compliance with 151 recognized standards and document all policies and procedures. Often the process helps identify efficiencies and heighten areas of accountability, all of which translate into higher quality service and operation to benefit the community.

“The Park Board and staff of the Park District of Oak Park are extremely pleased with earning CAPRA accreditation once again. Preparation for this comprehensive review of District policies, procedures, operations, programs and facilities is a team effort,” said Sandy Lentz, Park Board President. “This achievement solidifies our District as a leader in the Parks and Recreation industry not only in the State but across the country,”

The process for accreditation involves a formal application, self-assessments, a site visit by a team of trained visitors that results in a written report, and a hearing with the commission to grant re-accreditation. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s visitations were held virtually. The Park District will be recognized as an accredited park and recreation agency for a period of five years when the District will once again pursue the reaccreditation process.

The Commission is comprised of representatives from NRPA, the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration, the National Association of County Park and Recreation Officials, the International City/County Management Association, the Academy for Leisure Sciences, the Armed Forces Recreation Network and the Council of State Executive Directors.

For more information about the Park District of Oak Park visit www.pdop.org. Additional information about CAPRA accreditation can be found at www.nrpa.org/CAPRA.

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Park District Receives State Recognition

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For the fifth year in a row, the Park District of Oak Park was the recipient of the Illinois Association of Park District’s Best Green Practices Award. The District was recognized for the Passive House design and construction of the Carroll Center addition which uses superinsulation and airtight construction along with continuous mechanical ventilation to achieve a comfortable building temperature year round while using very little energy. Sustainability is engraved throughout the Park District with significant strides made over the last few years to lessen our impact on the environment through the installation of cisterns, solar panels, geothermal systems, LED lighting and much more. For more information on Park District environmental efforts visit pdop.org/environment.