Letter from the Director

LETTER FROM DIRECTOR

Dear Neighbor:

It is hard to believe that we are heading into the homestretch of 2021. Fall is one of the best seasons here at the Roselle Park District. As we head into the final quarter of 2021 it is a great time to reflect on the District’s accomplishments over the past year. First and foremost, I cannot begin to thank the community for their time and patience as we migrated through the many phases of the pandemic. We are so happy that we are starting to service the community in person with activities and programs in our facilities.

I would like to thank the Park Board of Commissioners, Laura Ellison, Katie Kilbridge, John Brady, Bob Furlin, and Jeff Peto, for their efforts and support during the pandemic. They have been working hard to make sure each resident feels welcomed, safe, and comfortable in all District parks and facilities. The commissioners embody our values and core beliefs and are committed to making the Park District a better place every day.

I am also very proud of the staff and the work they did to help host several vaccine clinics in conjunction with the Itasca, Bloomingdale, Medinah, and Wooddale Park District’s. We were able to service 100’s of our residents who wanted the vaccine. We heard many, many stories from individuals that motivated us to continue our vaccination efforts. The team worked on scheduling appointments and assisting the day of the clinics so that we could vaccinate as many as possible. Without their efforts we could not have done what we did!

I would also like to thank a few partners who graciously helped us with the summer programming. First the Village of Roselle for their donation to help offset the Summer Concert Series that the community enjoyed these past several months. Second, Itasca Bank and Trust who partnered with us on our community Unplug day in July. We appreciate the assistance and look forward to continuing these relationships in the future!

The District is also in the process of completing a few capital projects throughout our parks and facilities. We are replacing the roof and heating and air units at Clauss and at 10 North since both facilities need these infrastructure improvements. I am happy to share that we were able to secure a rebate in the amount of $85,000.00 from ComEd to offset the expenses for the high efficiency units we will be installing. We have also renovated Odlum Park with funding assistance from an OSLAD Grant award. The park includes an adorable train themed playground; if you have not seen it yet, I encourage you to stop by and check it out! We are also finalizing a plan for improvements at Turner Park—Stay tuned, there is more information to come!

As for what is ahead, we are busy preparing fall programming. We are ready to welcome our preschoolers back for the 20212022 school year and are planning for Club Kids before and after care at our partner schools. We have many fall and winter events planned including Fall Fun Fest, Halloween Spooktacular, and Winter Wonderland to name a few. We are also excited to welcome back our Roselle Repertoire Theater group back for their fall production of Into the Woods. Tickets will go on sale November 1st! In addition, we are ready for fall athletics, dance, and the return of our adult trip offerings. I encourage you to follow us on social media and to download our app for updates as they become available.

In just a few weeks the air will become cooler, and our beautiful parks will start to explode with color. I encourage you to go for a walk and check out the fall colors right in your own neighborhood. We love servicing you and hope that you find some program offerings that will entice you to join us during this Fall season!

Be well, Lynn McAteer Director