Through exceptional experiences, we strive to build a sense of community; enhance people’s lives; and contribute to the enrichment of the individual, family and community.
Through a partnership with the Village of Glenview and Cook County, GPD replaced and widened the Central Parkway Bridge, a critical multimodal connection originally built in 1964. The Village contributed $100,000 and the County awarded a $225,500 grant, minimizing taxpayer impact while preserving access to Judy Beck Park and maintaining our 88% rating for a park within a 10-minute walk. The bridge serves 1,200 unique users annually, improving safety and connectivity to parks and County Forest Preserves.
Partnership with the Village of Glenview has also resulted in stormwater improvements that alleviated flooding for 1,150 homes, provided 27.1 acre-feet of retention and land swaps, and addressed community health needs. Partnering with the Village also benefited GPD with nearly $3 million in improvements to our 18-hole golf course, playgrounds and field renovations at two parks. GPD matched these funds, adding ADA improvements and renovating a field house.
Historic Wagner Farm is not just a farm; it’s an educational hub. The Be@The Farm program is held in partnership with TrueNorth Education Cooperative, a special education association, and annually welcomes 25 student farmers ages 5 to 22 years through an intergovernmental agreement (IGA). Students develop leadership skills by supporting greenhouse operations; engaging in field work and livestock care; and planning, caring for, and harvesting 2.5 acres of produce. This mutually beneficial partnership provides unique educational experiences for TrueNorth students while supporting tasks essential to the Farm’s operations.
Our intergovernmental agreement with the Glenview Public Library benefits our community and staff. GPD maintains library property and we, in turn, receive free services and use of the library for meetings, trainings and programming. GPD staff receive library cards regardless of residency. The District offers unique day camp programming at the library, and we’ve hosted over ten joint events in the last three years. GPD is included in the Library of Things, where guests can “check-out” a pool pass or fitness membership in addition to a book.
GPD has renewed partnership with Endeavor Health to provide accessible community services. Endeavor provides $400,000 in lease income to house a clinic, rehabilitation center, and wellness store at our community center, home to one million annual visitors. The Endeavor Clinic is home to a new, integrative medicine clinic, where holistic-trained physicians, acupuncturists, and massage therapists provide services through over 7,500 patient visits annually. Endeavor offers specialized programming using our amenities.
The District renewed a sponsorship contract with Wintrust Community Banks as a Park Partner. Their sponsorship enhances signature events throughout the year and increases access to District programs by supporting the LINK and Leisureship scholarship programs. The LINK program doubles the value of government-assisted food vouchers when used at our Farmer’s Market. Intended outcomes include expansion of the Leisureship program, maintaining the LINK program at the Farmer’s Market, and continued satisfaction of our partners to encourage continued financial support.
GPD provides summer camp for 45 children for the past three years, experiencing homelessness, identified in partnership with the schools. Partnering with our Park Foundation, Northfield Township, GPD secured $578,104 in scholarships and support services, including transportation, lunches, family counseling and translation. Camp experiences are evaluated through surveys and counseling to ensure an integrated, equitable experience. Campers also received free pool passes and entry to events throughout the year.
GPD launched a district-wide initiative driven by public feedback and secret shopping to improve service consistency. Staff identified issues, mapped key touchpoints and developed 10 solutions. This work led to the VIEW customer service philosophy: Value, Inspire, Empower, Welcome. Outcomes are measured through surveys, engagement scores and customer feedback already showing a 10% increase in satisfaction. Early results show improved service confidence, stronger cross-department collaboration, website enhancements and creation of a staff-led VIEW committee.
Glenview Park District creates exceptional customer experiences through authentic relationships and accessible programming. Diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility are priorities. In 2022, GPD won the Illinois Park and Recreation Association (IPRA) Champions of Change Award for our DEI Efforts.
Residents validated our strength in providing exceptional customer service in our 2022 Community-Wide Survey. Nearly 92% of residents rated us positively and 49% hold the District in highest regard. The District’s average esteem rating (0–10 scale) is 8.2. GPD ratings are significantly higher than the statewide benchmark (6.8 average) and average scores from nearby park districts (7.7). The most significant result from the survey was learning that 87% of residents feel they belong and are included in our parks, facilities and offerings.
Maximizing taxpayer trust is accomplished through sound financial stewardship, with only 50% of funding coming from taxes, one of the lowest tax to non-tax revenues in the state. GPD represents only 7.8% of homeowners’ taxes. Residents rate the overall value of their taxes as favorable (7.3 on a 0–10 scale). Sound revenue management has also increased GPD’s net position by 9.9%.
GPD diversifies and leverages its funding resources and partnerships. Over the last three years, the District utilized over $7 million from donations, grants, and sponsorships to acquire three acres of land, upgrade four miles of trails, build new, inclusive and accessible playgrounds, expand pickleball courts, add new museum exhibits, restore native habitat and improve stormwater management.
To control the cost of capital and reduce interest paid on debt while keeping taxes at modest levels, the District uses built-up reserves rather than debt to minimize the impact on the taxpayer. Additionally, the District has repeatedly chosen to keep short debt schedules to reduce interest rates and increase flexibility for future projects. The District chose to repay debt over 13 years instead of 20 years, saving taxpayers $10 million. Almost 51% of GPD’s revenues are non-tax, far above the national average. Glenview is one of only eleven park districts in Illinois with an Aaa bond rating.
We maintain what we have for all. A capital asset replacement program builds up reserves annually based on the useful life of assets. These accumulated funds ($20 million) are then reinvested at the end of the useful life to cover replacement costs. The District averages $4 million annually in capital replacement projects.
reserve.
GPD converted 7.4 acres to native areas, hosted 24 zero-waste events, and decreased electric and fuel use by over 1% annually. Furthermore, GPD provides education to further historical stewardship. Overall, 98% of community members reported visiting a park or facility within the last year, of which 50% visited The Grove or Historic Wagner Farm. The Grove reported 55,890 program visits, 7,274 tour visits and 35,000 visitors to the Nature Center. Wagner Farm boasted 36,313 program visits, 6,265 tour visits and 69,908 general visits, a 7% increase in three years. These two facilities educate over 1,000 school groups annually.
The Glenview Park District’s Environmental Sustainability Plan provides a long-term framework for protecting natural resources, reducing environmental impacts, and promoting sustainable practices across all Park District operations. Developed as part of the District’s 2023-2028 Strategic Plan, it outlines actions that support environmental stewardship while enhancing community well-being and preserving natural and cultural resources.
The plan focuses on four key areas:
Land Management
Asset Management and Resource Conservation
Operations
Community Engagement and Partnerships
Overall, the plan positions the Glenview Park District as a community leader in sustainability by balancing environmental responsibility, operational efficiency, and public engagement while creating measurable goals and annual progress reporting.
GPD developed an Urban Forestry Management Plan (UFMP) to provide data-driven solutions, goals, and milestones. GPD is leading in the inventory and diversity of its trees in Illinois. GPD exceeds the “20-10-5” rule, a best urban forestry management practice that states a tree population should ideally have no more than 20% of any single family, 10% of any single genus, and 5% of any single species. “Undesirable” trees decreased annually from 483 to 451, with the District managing over 22,300 trees. GPD planted 835 trees in the last three years, surpassing the plan’s targets.
Guided by Strategic/Comprehensive Plans, our environmental team recommends and implements actions for conservation, energy efficiency, and preservation. Highlights of success across the park district include:
These efforts have made us the top Park District employer in the state, recognized by IPRA as a Best Workplace Award recipient. Some highlights of our communication and staff engagement efforts include:
As part of the accreditation process, Glenview Park District had to demonstrate compliance with 154 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. We are honored to be recognized as one of only 223 park and recreation agencies who hold CAPRA accreditation nationwide and one of only nine agencies in Illinois.
Our staff-led Recognition Team developed Innovation awards for initiatives that have improved business processes, provided value to the community, or resulted in new programs and practices. This program fosters innovation, collaboration and efficiency.
The purpose of the customer service program is to advance customer service, increase customer satisfaction, and improve employee motivation and engagement to generate greater customer and employee retention. The overall goal is to provide proper training, develop customer service skills, create standard processes, creating a District wide team that demonstrates professional internal and external customer service to improve customer and employee satisfaction and loyalty.
KEY OBJECTIVES
The Glenview Park District celebrates the diversity of races, beliefs, religions, abilities and experiences among our patrons and our staff. The DEI Committee believe this diversity strengthens our community. We are committed to constant improvement through staff training and recruitment strategies, diversification of programming, and an inclusive and welcoming environment where community engagement is encouraged.
KEY OBJECTIVES
The purpose of the Environmental Team is to promote environmental awareness throughout the District. The team’s primary goal is to improve the environmental impact of operations and services for employees, patrons and volunteers and to promote a culture of environmental stewardship through education, communication and the identification and analysis of environmental related issues affecting the District.
KEY OBJECTIVES
The FUN Team’s objective is to promote fun in the workplace and a sense of camaraderie for all employees through special events that are inclusive and easily accessible for everyone to participate in. The goal of the Fun Team is to provide opportunities for staff members (full and part time) from different facilities to interact with each other in organized, enjoyable sponsored events.
KEY OBJECTIVES
The goal of a recognition program should be to appropriately recognize individual achievement that goes beyond the normal scope of the job requirements; recognize team, facility, or division successes to include but not limited to, significant cost savings, improved service and performance, innovative ideas, completion of a special project, etc. These recognitions are in addition to the years of service recognitions currently in place.
KEY OBJECTIVES
The purpose of the Safety Committee is to assist in providing safe and efficient operations and services for employees, patrons and volunteers and to promote a culture of safety through education, communication and the identification and analysis of safety related issues affecting the District.
KEY OBJECTIVES
The purpose of the Wellness Committee is to assist in both providing knowledge and access to PDRMA’s PATH (Positive Activities Towards Health) wellness program as a means to increase the success of the Glenview Park District. PATH wellness education includes, but is not limited to, the education and importance of physical, emotional, social, and financial wellbeing. The wellness team plans to utilize PATH and its tools in order to support our internal community. The team further intends to develop, implement and administer a plan to make PATH more accessible to all employees, thus increasing participation and wellness in the district.
KEY OBJECTIVES
GPD worked with the husband of former Commissioner Judy Beck through his Beck Foundation to launch the Judy Beck Grant program. The privately-funded grant supports generations of new conservation leaders by supporting innovative projects throughout the community. Over the last three years, GPD has funded 20 projects totaling more than $33,000 and is working to endow the Judy Beck Grant.
Staff at The Grove developed a new program called Grove Green Girls to support and empower young women in the areas of science, technology engineering and math, in addition to learning historic skills and pioneer crafts. The program encourages girls to experiment using basic “old” skills in order to develop new ideas, providing an opportunity for girls to thrive in the STEM disciplines. Ten Grove Green Girls participated in 2023 for over 245 volunteer hours and 490 activity hours.
Farm staff moved from bagged feed delivery to the development of grain bins that can be filled from a delivery truck. The cost of bagging feed at the mill is $60 per ton. Each truck delivery is the equivalent of 18 trips to the feed mill, saving GPD approximately $2,000 annually and about 160 staff hours and 180 gallons of diesel fuel annually. This innovation saves money, minimizes the risk of injuries among farm staff, and improves the quality of feed because it is stored in a sealed bin.
Promotion of All Are Welcome during Pride Month.
What began as a bold new idea quickly became an event bringing together participants of all ages for a high-energy, inclusive experience centered around fitness, fun and connection. Featuring live music at every mile and a foam-filled fun run for kids, the event created an atmosphere that felt more like a celebration than a race. The inaugural event attracted 376 participants. This year’s Jammin’ 5K and Foam Frenzy Fun Run will take place on Saturday, July 25, 2026.
Historic Wagner Farm transformed a chronically flooded, underutilized area into a thriving flower production field through an innovative, staff-led improvement project. Rather than investing more than $100,000 in contracted drainage work, the team designed and installed over 1,700 feet of drainage tile, new irrigation infrastructure, fencing and soil enhancements themselves, creating productive growing space at a fraction of the cost. The project expanded the farm’s agricultural offerings with cut flowers, introduced a successful U-pick flower experience, increased revenue opportunities and enhanced visitor engagement. The initiative demonstrates how creative problem-solving, cross-functional teamwork and strategic reinvestment can turn operational challenges into community-focused amenities and sustainable new programs.
The Grove transformed two separate offerings into one immersive historical experience by combining its annual Pioneer Day celebration with the opening of the Cures & Curiosities: 19th Century American Medicine exhibit. By connecting living-history demonstrations, hands-on activities and a new archival exhibit through a shared 19th-century theme, staff created a richer visitor experience while maximizing existing resources. The integrated event increased attendance, extended visitor engagement, boosted exhibit visitation and contributed to higher participation in future programs and events. Through cross-department collaboration, streamlined marketing and creative storytelling, the project demonstrated how reimagining existing programs can enhance customer experiences, improve operational efficiency and create a sustainable model for future district-wide initiatives.
To improve the youth basketball experience, Park Center Athletics reimagined how volunteer coaches are trained by replacing a traditional one-time meeting with a more flexible and accessible training model. The new approach combined an open-house equipment pickup and Q&A session with a required online training presentation, allowing more than 80 volunteer coaches to receive personalized support and complete training on their own schedule. The result was a 30% increase in training participation, stronger coach engagement and a smoother start to the season. By leveraging technology and adapting to volunteers’ needs, the program improved preparedness, enhanced the participant experience and created a scalable training model that can be applied to other volunteer-driven programs across the district.
Staff completely redeveloped the training program for camp counselors in 2024 to ensure better retention of the values and skills needed for our counselors. The four-day training included interactive and new ways of learning to help counselors put their learning immediately into implementation. This was a refreshing change from the previous format of dry presentations outlining policies and procedures.
The Glenview Park District’s Solar Trailer initiative showcases how innovation, sustainability and collaboration can drive meaningful operational improvements. Designed and built by Park Services and branded by Marketing, the solar-powered mobile charging station uses renewable energy to power electric landscaping equipment, reducing reliance on gasoline-powered tools, lowering emissions, and improving staff safety and efficiency. The project also secured $7,000 in sponsorship support, increased community awareness of the District’s environmental commitment and served as a visible symbol of sustainable practices at parks and community events. Its success led to the creation of a second solar trailer, demonstrating a scalable model that advances both environmental stewardship and long-term cost savings.
Robert’s Yukon Adventure Day transformed Robert Kennicott’s historic Arctic expeditions into an immersive, family-friendly winter event that combined education, recreation and community partnerships. Inspired by Kennicott’s journeys through the Yukon and Russian America, The Grove collaborated with local organizations to create hands-on experiences including dog sledding demonstrations, snowshoeing, winter ecology activities, Native Alaskan cultural programs and interactive science exhibits. The event exceeded attendance expectations by more than 115%, generated a 47% profit margin, and received overwhelmingly positive participant feedback. By blending history, outdoor recreation and experiential learning into a one-of-a-kind winter festival, the program strengthened community engagement, expanded awareness of Glenview’s historical connection to Robert Kennicott and created a successful, repeatable model for mission-driven special events.
The aquatics department went from filling out individual swim lesson progress booklets for each participant at the end of a session, to creating a customized merge that is printed to hand out during the last swim class and later, emailed to each lesson participant reminding them to sign up for the next session of lessons. This was done by creating a “stage tracker” to keep track of swimmer progress.
The East Wing Hearing Loop project transformed the Lakeview Room into a more inclusive and accessible gathering space by installing advanced assistive listening technology that delivers clear, customized sound directly to hearing aids and cochlear implants. Integrated seamlessly during a planned flooring renovation, the system enhances participation in programs, presentations, entertainment and community events for individuals with hearing loss while remaining virtually invisible within the facility. The project also expanded the room’s appeal for rentals, weddings,and meetings, creating new revenue opportunities while demonstrating the Glenview Park District’s commitment to accessibility, customer service and lifelong community engagement. By addressing a critical but often unseen barrier, the Hearing Loop initiative sets a new standard for inclusive public spaces and provides a sustainable model for future facility improvements.
The Wagner Farm team envisioned, designed, constructed, and implemented the new Mobile Chicken Coop at Historic Wagner Farm. The need for the new coop started with an increased customer demand for fresh farm eggs. Noticing a potentially greater revenue stream the team put their creativity to action. Us that work at the farm are very focused on sustainability, education, and increasing farm product revenue. The coop was designed with these principles in mind.
Park Center Health and Fitness was the host site for the exclusive Midwest Fitness Residency of Tae Bo creator Billy Blanks, bringing specialty classes and events to our members and residents.
The Glenview Community Ice Center partnered with Culver’s, Dairy Queen and Glenview Dairy Bar to transform the facility into the “Glenview Community Ice CREAM Center” during its Stay Cool at Back to School program. The program was widely successful with hundreds of residents participating and enjoying a wonderful experience, all while supporting our local business community.
Glenview Community Ice Center invested in 8 on-ice bumper cars. Patrons ages 6 and up who meet height requirements can ride and bump their way around the studio rink for a new recreation opportunity! The bumper cars have been a big hit, typically selling out days in advance.
Amid a tech-centric world, staff members at The Grove devised a program that could teach children historic skills and pioneer crafts. Staff took the idea a step further by incorporating the disciplines of STEM into the program.
A mud put which held about 700 pounds of mud was constructed by Ernest Sanchez for participants to play in however they wanted! Families took their shoes off and walked in mud, splashed in it ,threw it like Pollack at the art panel, wore it, and even “bathed” in mud.
In 2022, staff set out to make the livestock feed grain process more efficient. Their goal was to cut down staff time, fuel, money and the amount of paper bags being used and recycled. The end result is a projected savings of nearly $50,000 over ten years.
A staff member at Historic Wagner Farm led an initiative to bring produce from the farm into production for sale to the community. After health inspections and procedural changes, she launched sales of items like soups, pies and quiche. Within one year she produced 2,800 offerings raising $17,000 in a new revenue stream.
School’s Out Camp REC was developed in partnership between the Park District and Wesley Child Care, to provide families a way to participate in Recreation, Enrichment and a sense of Community when school is not in session. The program fulfills the needs of working parents as well as the needs of the children in Glenview.
Fairy Quest is a new, self-guided tour that was developed at The Grove and is offered through their mobile app. The tour features hints for each of the nine fairy doors placed throughout The Grove’s trails. Staff built each of the fairy doors out of found materials at The Grove. Staff climbed many trees, and walked off many trails, to place the doors along the trails for visitors to spy and spot out. Parents and grandparents come into the Interpretive Center asking specifically about the fairies living at The Grove. It is so fun for our staff to see the youngest kids light up with excitement when they find the first door and truly believe a fairy lives in the house.
In the spring of 2021, Historic Wagner Farm was set to unveil its latest public amenities in the form of the new Farm Adventure Area. An integral part of the construction were four raised bed gardens intended to act as sensory gardens for public interaction. The vision became reality thanks to the partnership of True North (NSSED) Be@the Farm Program.
a community in which everyone enjoys daily happiness, health, and an appreciation for the environment.
GPD developed this plan, shaped by the community, to guide park, facility, and program development decisions for ten years. Read the executive summary of the comprehensive master plan.
see the plan
The strategic plan outlines GPD’s purpose, envisioned future, and strategic priority areas in which the District will invest time, talent, and resources. Read the executive summary of the strategic plan.
see the plan
