Bolingbrook Park District Celebrates 50th Anniversary

BOLINGBROOK, IL — The Bolingbrook Park District has been an indelible part of the community and on Aug. 11, it completed 50 years since a referendum for its inception was passed in 1970. Today, over 1,000 acres of open space, five facilities and 50 properties later, the district is looking forward to serving the residents for many more years to come.

"The Bolingbrook Park District has a history of consistent growth, excellence in programs and services and both state and national acclaim," said Ron Oestreich, executive director. "To have the privilege of providing our services to the Bolingbrook community for 50 years is truly an honor. There have been a lot of smiling faces, and we look forward to the next 50years."

With the coronavirus pandemic wreaking havoc across the country, the park district was not immune to its effects. From employees testing positive for COVID-19 to keeping its facilities closed, the administrators have faced myriad challenges.

Oestreich said the decisions they made regarding their programs, services, facilities, and staff have been in conjunction with recommended protocols from the Governor, the Illinois Department of Public Health, the Will County Health Department and the DCEO.

"It has been an unprecedented year for all of us. Our largest impact areas were the playgrounds and sport courts," he said. "With a playground in every neighborhood and kids stuck at home, not having the ability to provide this fun play space was hard on all of us."

He also said that like many other local entities, they also had to furlough staff members.

"Our staff is our lifeblood, so not having them here and not knowing when they can return based on low participation levels is disheartening," Oestreich said. "Fortunately, our team has been very understanding."

As Bolingbrook has grown to over 75,000 residents, the park district has grown along the way. Many parks and facilities have been built over the years including:

Oestreich said the district conducts regular surveys to ensure they are catering to the needs of the residents. Currently, it is expanding the Bolingbrook Recreation and Aquatic Complex to include family changing rooms, new locker rooms for Pelican Harbor and LifeStyles Fitness Center, new recreation space, and a renovated main entrance.

"We’re also excited about the 21 new playgrounds that we’ll be installing for our community to enjoy. As of this year, we’ve completed nine of them. This project also includes the Pelican Harbor Lazy River Island project, which was completed this year and the pathway connection at Lily Cache Greenway," he said.

With steady growth and excellence in programming, Bolingbrook Park District has been recognized with several accolades such as Illinois Parks and Recreation Association Exceptional Workplace Award in 2018, and the Illinois Park and Recreation Association OutstandingFacility Renovation Award in 2000 for the Annerino Community Center.

As part of its 50th year celebrations, the district has launched a new logo. It can be found on the doors of each facility. Visual timelines have also been hung at the Annerino Community Center (201 Recreation Dr.) and the Bolingbrook Recreation and Aquatic Complex (200 Lindsey Lane) to commemorate the past.

A website has been developed to showcase everything 50th anniversary related. Featured on the site is a detailed timeline of Bolingbrook Park District’s history, a highlight video showcasing the district, a listing of events throughout the year, and a "50 Years of Fun" playlist. The playlist was developed with recommendations from residents and staff. All of this can be found here.

Oestreich said they have received positive feedback from the community regarding their services as well as how they handled closures during the COVID-19 outbreak.

"We want to grow with our community, tapping more and more into their interests and needs," he said. "We have always been creative with our approach to operations. This is what makes us great and will help in both the short-term situation our community is facing as well as in the long term."