Need for pool sparked creation of Mount Prospect Park District
Mount Prospect Park District has played an integral part in the lives of area residents since it was incorporated in June 1955. It currently provides recreation programs, facilities and services to portions of Mount Prospect, Arlington Heights, Des Plaines and Elk Grove Village, with a total population of 215,000.
"The spur to the district's formation came during July, 1954, which was unusually hot and dry. There was a ban on sprinkling and car washing. And there was no place to swim. The Arlington Heights pool, which for years had been used by Mount Prospect residents, no longer had room," the park district wrote on its sponsorship page in the book "Mount Prospect: Where Town and Country Met," published in 1992.
"It was clear that the need for recreation space and programs was pressing. Public demand for a pool and other recreation facilities had grown as the Village grew, and the presidents of two homeowners' associations took the initiative to organize a campaign for a park district," it continued.
A founding committee was organized, and "one of the new board's first official acts was to go to the voters for $450,000 in bonds to improve Fairview, Owen, Emerson, Weller Creek and Lions parks, including a swimming pool at Lions. These parks had been acquired from the village, which had little money available to develop them. The voters approved the bonds and the Mount Prospect Park District was on its way," the history piece said.
But, in truth, the pool and 12 acres of parkland at Lions Park was donated by the Mount Prospect Lions Club, which had purchased it in 1947 and then graded, landscaped and illuminated it in honor of those who died in World War II.
Soon thereafter, they had built a swimming pool and erected an octagonal building for use as a refreshment stand. Years later, in 1984, the pool was destined to be converted to a wave pool, the first of its kind in the Chicago area.
Within the park today are baseball diamonds, football and soccer fields, eight lighted tennis courts, an ice-skating area, the wave pool and a poolside concession center and a stage for community theater productions.
In addition, the Veterans Memorial Band Shell, constructed in 1999, is the setting for holiday and summer concerts.
Another of the park district's earliest acquisitions, purchased in April 1961 at a cost of $1.6 million, was the Mount Prospect Golf Course. From its lush fairways to its well- manicured greens, recently renovated Mount Prospect Golf Course offers a challenge to golfers of all skill levels. The attractive clubhouse includes a pro shop, meeting and banquet facilities and a snack shop.
Next came the Meadows Aquatic Center on the north side of the tracks, originally constructed in 1961. It was closed following the 1999 season and reopened in 2003 as a zero-depth, flat water family aquatic center.
The Friendship Park Conservatory in the Des Plaines portion of the park district opened in 1988. It has a working greenhouse, an atrium featuring seasonal displays, an outdoor garden area and meeting rooms and hosts numerous festivals and gatherings throughout the year.
In addition to various outdoor educational and craft classes for children, the Conservatory provides adult instruction in gardening, landscaping and floral arranging.
Soon thereafter, a 92,000-square-foot recreation complex ("RecPlex"), housing a fitness center, gymnasium, indoor pool, sand volleyball courts, racquetball courts and a children's wing was constructed on the site of the former Dempster Junior High School.
The Studio, a center for visual arts located adjacent to Melas Park, opened in spring 1997.
Wide-ranging art instruction classes are offered there for both adults and children.
Central Community Center opened in January 2001 at a cost of $4.9 million and is among the park district's newest recreational facilities. It features an air-conditioned inline skating rink, fitness center featuring both strength training and cardio equipment, and a kids-priority wood floor gymnasium.
Finally, the Hill Street Nature Center opened in May 2006. This exceptional 4.5-acre property offers a play area, open-air shelter, team-building course, picnic areas, pedestrian path system, wood boardwalk, benches and transitional wetlands.
This parcel was developed with the assistance of an Illinois Department of Natural Resources grant.
The district employs approximately 57 full-time employees and more than 600 part-time and seasonal employees. It offers its residents 32 parks and recreational facilities, from an acclaimed golf course to neighborhood playgrounds, pools, fitness centers, ball diamonds, biking and walking paths.
It also bears noting that, in 1973, the Mount Prospect Park District was a central figure in the establishment of the Northwest Special Recreation Association to assist in providing recreation services to individuals with disabilities.
Today, NWSRA includes 16 member districts and strives to be a leading force creating greater options that enrich the life experiences of the participants, families and communities they serve.