WHEELING PARK DISTRICT & BUSINESS

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The board and staff of the Wheeling Park District take pride in serving area businesses as conscientiously as they serve residents because they feel that as district taxpayers, businesses and industries and their employees deserve to use the facilities and enjoy the services they help to fund. Chevy Chase Country Club, 1000 N. Milwaukee Ave., is the park district facility that is probably most popular with area businesses because of its banquet and meeting facilities, as well as its challenging 18-hole golf course. Over the past several years, the park district has invested over $5 million in improvements to the 100-year-old clubhouse and course. The Grand Ballroom, which holds up to 600 people, has recently received a major update with a refinished wood floor, new carpeting, restrooms and lighting, according to Jan Buchs, executive director of the Wheeling Park District. “The Historic Grand Ballroom maintained its traditional character and continues to host many corporate events, weddings and other social events there,” she said. The Devonshire Room has been enlarged to hold up to 250 people and enhanced with upgraded audio-visual capabilities and large screens, so it is particularly geared for business meetings and luncheons. The Gable Room bar has also been updated and renovated recently, while the golf course itself was renovated in 2002. “We actively market these facilities to our sponsors and corporate partners, as well as to all businesses in the region,” Buchs said, “plus we now have the redeveloped Heritage Park to offer companies as a venue for employee recognition events, alternative meeting locations and client thank you events.” Located at 333 W. Dundee Road, Heritage Park offers something for everyone. For instance, the Heritage Park campus is home to the Wheeling Park District’s Fitness Center with 4,100 square feet of free weights and cardio equipment, its

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indoor track and pool. Working in Wheeling qualifies employees for a corporate rate at the fitness center, as long as proof of active employment is provided. In addition, some local firms have field softball teams that compete in the District’s 12-inch softball league at Heritage Park sports complex. The Performance Pavilion and natural amphitheater on the southwest side of the 10acre Lake Heritage, is also home to arts, culture and music, including the park district’s free summer entertainment series that those employed in Wheeling can also enjoy. A large, rustic picnic shelter can be rented for special occasions like family reunions and company picnics. Made possible by an intergovernmental agreement between the Wheeling Park District, the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago and the Village of Wheeling, Heritage Park provides long-lasting benefits to Wheeling and flood management to other communities along the Des Plaines River. Flooding of Heritage Park sports fields and the resulting cancellation of sporting events and tournaments are also a thing of the past, thanks to these flood management measures. The many tournaments annually scheduled on these fields regularly bring thousands of adults and children from other communities to Wheeling where they not only compete athletically, but also patronize local businesses, including restaurants, retail establishments and sometimes, hotels, Buchs said. In fact, she added, the park district actively works to promote local businesses to program participants and visitors through its sponsorship program. Many local restaurants, in particular, enjoy the opportunity to sponsor events and facilities at Heritage Park in order to promote themselves to both the “home” and “away” teams and their families and fans.

2016 Community Guide & Business Directory

8/9/2016 1:43:56 PM