Northbrook Park District
Encyclopedia
Origin=
In June of 1927, the Northbrook Park District was formed with Commissioners Clarence Barteme, Wallace Clore, J.W. Cooksey, Edward Landwehr and Herman Meier, President.
Administration=
Residents elect a seven-member volunteer Board of Commissioners to establish Park District policy, strategic Leisure Centerdirection and governing ordinances. Board members serve staggered four-year terms. A professional staff led by an Executive Director handles day-to-day operations of the District.
Boundaries=
The 17.25-square mile Park District is located in northern Cook County, about 25 miles north of Chicago, Illinois.
It lies in Northfield and Wheeling Townships and is bordered by Deerfield and Highland Park on the north, Glenview on the south, Glencoe and Northfield on the east, and Wheeling on the west. As an additional buffer, the Park District is bounded on the east and west by hundreds of acres of Cook County Forest Preserve woods. The Park District serves all of Northbrook and a small portion of unincorporated Cook County.
Population=
Based on the 2010 Census, the Park District's population is approximately 33,170, with 24% under the age of 18.
Tax Rate=
The tax rate for 2008 was $.332 per $100 of assessed value or 7% of the average real estate tax bill.
Fiscal Year Budget=
The Park District fiscal year begins May 1 and concludes on April 30. The total budget for 2010-11 is $21,043,020 with an operating budget of $14,555,169, capital improvement and repair budget of $2,981,865, and a debt retirement budget of $3,505,986.
Debt Rating=
The Park District issues general obligation bonds occasionally for capital improvements and holds an AAA bond rating from Moody's Investor Service on its $11.8 million outstanding debt.
Park Resources=
The Park District holds title for its residents to 505.34 acres and leases 2.42 acres from the Village of Northbrook. The Park District maintains 20 parks: community parks, neighborhood parks, play lots and passive parks.
Recreational facilities include: five outdoor swimming pools, a community center with activity and meeting rooms, two indoor ice rinks, 36 holes of golf, a practice range, miniature golf, two sled hills, 24 tennis courts, 32 baseball diamonds, soccer fields, playgrounds, picnic areas, trails, two fishing lakes, basketball courts, two volleyball courts, a cross country ski area, football fields, turf fields for soccer or lacrosse, an outdoor skate park, Teams Challenge Course and a climbing wall. Distinctive facilities include the Ed Rudolph Velodrome (1/4 mile, banked bike track), Sportsman's Country Club, Anetsberger Golf Course, Techny Prairie Park and Fields with the Trail Through Time, the Leisure Center with the Northbrook Theatre, and the Northbrook Sports Center with two ice rinks.
Programs and Services=
The Park District provides a full range of indoor and outdoor activities. Major recreation programs include ice skating, visual arts, music, performing arts, preschool, summer camps, child care before and after school, aquatics, and athletics. Special events include Winter Carnival, Park Fest (Tuesday night concerts in the park), Touch-A-Truck, Northbrook Autumnfest, Northbrook-On-lce and other seasonal events. The Park District is affiliated with the Northern Suburban Special Recreation Association (NSSRA) to serve the needs of all residents.
Staff=
The Park District has an appointed Executive Director, responsible to the Board of Commissioners, and a full-time staff of 70. The Park District also employs more than 800 part-time, seasonal and temporary employees and hundreds of volunteers. Click here to view our staff directory.
Affiliations=
The Park District is affiliated with the National Recreation and Parks Association (NRPA), and the Illinois Association of Park Districts (lAPD). Some Board members sit on Boards and Committees of these organizations.
Northbrook Park District History=
Formed in 1927 with a budget of $1,800, the Northbrook Park District is an Illinois Municipal Corporation operating under State of Illinois statutes and providing a wide variety of programs and facilities. The Park District employs about 70 full-time staff and hundreds of part-time/seasonal staff, with an annual budget over $20 million and assets of $100 million. The Northbrook Park District is well known for sports and cultural and leisure activities. A comprehensive year-round schedule of classes, programs, tournaments, theatrical productions and special events is designed to serve residents.
The Northbrook Park District was the first park district in the United States accredited by National Park and Recreation Association for its management, programming and operational proficiency. The District received accreditation in January of 1994. In 1996, the District received the National Gold Medal Award from NPRA, an honor presented to park and recreation departments for excellence in park and recreation management.
Over the years, the Northbrook Park District has used various methods of assessing community needs. Recreation instructors send a survey to participants at the end of each session, and each instructor completes an evaluation form. Special events, pools, ice instruction and golf programs use exit surveys to assess public attitudes. Comment sheets are available at all registration centers. Some of the facilities publish their own newsletters to communicate information and invite feedback. Residential newsletters produced in-house inform patrons about Park District news and encourage their feedback. And, secret shoppers frequently evaluate our customer service areas.
The primary emphasis of the District in long- and short-range planning is in the area of strategic planning. Initially, Board members and staff met for a day-long session to discuss direction for the District and identify goals and objectives. Additional follow-up meetings further defined direction for facility development, capital improvements, programming, and maintenance. The end product was a comprehensive planning document to carry the District into the 21st century. The District completed a Community Needs Assessment, which will be used as a basis for developing a strategic plan. Surveys will enhance the information collected from the community, and the Board and staff will meet to develop a vision for the next decade.Techny Prairie Park and Fields Sled Hill
Changes that have impacted recreation services includethe sharing of school facilities in the five school districts for extensive athletic and camp programs; offering services to a large corporate population, and co-existing with a YMCA, private recreation operators, high school adult education, and local community college programs. Co-sponsorships have played an integral part of the District's success. The Northbrook Civic Foundation has donated more than $250,000 for playgrounds, cultural arts programs and equipment over the past several years. Local banks have shared costs of summer concert programs and scholarship assistance. Many businesses and corporations regularly donate funds and in-kind services for athletic, theater and recreation programs.
The Northbrook Park District promotes public awareness on an ongoing basis. Board and staff are active members of many civic organizations. Outstanding volunteer efforts are recognized by the Hall of Fame, Sports Hall of Fame and IPRA (Illinois Park and Recreation Association) awards, commendation gifts, and publicity in local and Park District publications. The Marketing and Communications Department prepares and distributes Park District news to area media outlets, including online sites, and publishes four seasonal Recreation Guides, bi-monthly newsletters and individual pieces for programs, such as camps, theater performances and ice shows. Banners and signs are used throughout the Village to publicize events. The Park District name and logo appear on all publications and co-sponsorships. The majority of volunteer coaches have now received ACEP (American Coaches Effectiveness Program) training.
545 Academy Drive | Northbrook, IL 60062 | P: 847·291·2960 | F: 847·205·1154
www.nbparks.org
In June of 1927, the Northbrook Park District was formed with Commissioners Clarence Barteme, Wallace Clore, J.W. Cooksey, Edward Landwehr and Herman Meier, President.
Administration=
Residents elect a seven-member volunteer Board of Commissioners to establish Park District policy, strategic Leisure Centerdirection and governing ordinances. Board members serve staggered four-year terms. A professional staff led by an Executive Director handles day-to-day operations of the District.
Boundaries=
The 17.25-square mile Park District is located in northern Cook County, about 25 miles north of Chicago, Illinois.
It lies in Northfield and Wheeling Townships and is bordered by Deerfield and Highland Park on the north, Glenview on the south, Glencoe and Northfield on the east, and Wheeling on the west. As an additional buffer, the Park District is bounded on the east and west by hundreds of acres of Cook County Forest Preserve woods. The Park District serves all of Northbrook and a small portion of unincorporated Cook County.
Population=
Based on the 2010 Census, the Park District's population is approximately 33,170, with 24% under the age of 18.
Tax Rate=
The tax rate for 2008 was $.332 per $100 of assessed value or 7% of the average real estate tax bill.
Fiscal Year Budget=
The Park District fiscal year begins May 1 and concludes on April 30. The total budget for 2010-11 is $21,043,020 with an operating budget of $14,555,169, capital improvement and repair budget of $2,981,865, and a debt retirement budget of $3,505,986.
Debt Rating=
The Park District issues general obligation bonds occasionally for capital improvements and holds an AAA bond rating from Moody's Investor Service on its $11.8 million outstanding debt.
Park Resources=
The Park District holds title for its residents to 505.34 acres and leases 2.42 acres from the Village of Northbrook. The Park District maintains 20 parks: community parks, neighborhood parks, play lots and passive parks.
Recreational facilities include: five outdoor swimming pools, a community center with activity and meeting rooms, two indoor ice rinks, 36 holes of golf, a practice range, miniature golf, two sled hills, 24 tennis courts, 32 baseball diamonds, soccer fields, playgrounds, picnic areas, trails, two fishing lakes, basketball courts, two volleyball courts, a cross country ski area, football fields, turf fields for soccer or lacrosse, an outdoor skate park, Teams Challenge Course and a climbing wall. Distinctive facilities include the Ed Rudolph Velodrome (1/4 mile, banked bike track), Sportsman's Country Club, Anetsberger Golf Course, Techny Prairie Park and Fields with the Trail Through Time, the Leisure Center with the Northbrook Theatre, and the Northbrook Sports Center with two ice rinks.
Programs and Services=
The Park District provides a full range of indoor and outdoor activities. Major recreation programs include ice skating, visual arts, music, performing arts, preschool, summer camps, child care before and after school, aquatics, and athletics. Special events include Winter Carnival, Park Fest (Tuesday night concerts in the park), Touch-A-Truck, Northbrook Autumnfest, Northbrook-On-lce and other seasonal events. The Park District is affiliated with the Northern Suburban Special Recreation Association (NSSRA) to serve the needs of all residents.
Staff=
The Park District has an appointed Executive Director, responsible to the Board of Commissioners, and a full-time staff of 70. The Park District also employs more than 800 part-time, seasonal and temporary employees and hundreds of volunteers. Click here to view our staff directory.
Affiliations=
The Park District is affiliated with the National Recreation and Parks Association (NRPA), and the Illinois Association of Park Districts (lAPD). Some Board members sit on Boards and Committees of these organizations.
Northbrook Park District History=
Formed in 1927 with a budget of $1,800, the Northbrook Park District is an Illinois Municipal Corporation operating under State of Illinois statutes and providing a wide variety of programs and facilities. The Park District employs about 70 full-time staff and hundreds of part-time/seasonal staff, with an annual budget over $20 million and assets of $100 million. The Northbrook Park District is well known for sports and cultural and leisure activities. A comprehensive year-round schedule of classes, programs, tournaments, theatrical productions and special events is designed to serve residents.
The Northbrook Park District was the first park district in the United States accredited by National Park and Recreation Association for its management, programming and operational proficiency. The District received accreditation in January of 1994. In 1996, the District received the National Gold Medal Award from NPRA, an honor presented to park and recreation departments for excellence in park and recreation management.
Over the years, the Northbrook Park District has used various methods of assessing community needs. Recreation instructors send a survey to participants at the end of each session, and each instructor completes an evaluation form. Special events, pools, ice instruction and golf programs use exit surveys to assess public attitudes. Comment sheets are available at all registration centers. Some of the facilities publish their own newsletters to communicate information and invite feedback. Residential newsletters produced in-house inform patrons about Park District news and encourage their feedback. And, secret shoppers frequently evaluate our customer service areas.
The primary emphasis of the District in long- and short-range planning is in the area of strategic planning. Initially, Board members and staff met for a day-long session to discuss direction for the District and identify goals and objectives. Additional follow-up meetings further defined direction for facility development, capital improvements, programming, and maintenance. The end product was a comprehensive planning document to carry the District into the 21st century. The District completed a Community Needs Assessment, which will be used as a basis for developing a strategic plan. Surveys will enhance the information collected from the community, and the Board and staff will meet to develop a vision for the next decade.Techny Prairie Park and Fields Sled Hill
Changes that have impacted recreation services includethe sharing of school facilities in the five school districts for extensive athletic and camp programs; offering services to a large corporate population, and co-existing with a YMCA, private recreation operators, high school adult education, and local community college programs. Co-sponsorships have played an integral part of the District's success. The Northbrook Civic Foundation has donated more than $250,000 for playgrounds, cultural arts programs and equipment over the past several years. Local banks have shared costs of summer concert programs and scholarship assistance. Many businesses and corporations regularly donate funds and in-kind services for athletic, theater and recreation programs.
The Northbrook Park District promotes public awareness on an ongoing basis. Board and staff are active members of many civic organizations. Outstanding volunteer efforts are recognized by the Hall of Fame, Sports Hall of Fame and IPRA (Illinois Park and Recreation Association) awards, commendation gifts, and publicity in local and Park District publications. The Marketing and Communications Department prepares and distributes Park District news to area media outlets, including online sites, and publishes four seasonal Recreation Guides, bi-monthly newsletters and individual pieces for programs, such as camps, theater performances and ice shows. Banners and signs are used throughout the Village to publicize events. The Park District name and logo appear on all publications and co-sponsorships. The majority of volunteer coaches have now received ACEP (American Coaches Effectiveness Program) training.
545 Academy Drive | Northbrook, IL 60062 | P: 847·291·2960 | F: 847·205·1154
www.nbparks.org