Join Park Pride Day May 14 in Villa Park

The Villa Park Parks and Recreation Department will hold the first Park Pride Day to help promote the new Adopt-a-Park program at 11 a.m. Saturday, May 14 at Twin Lakes Park, Ardmore and Sidney (behind North Avenue Target). All volunteers are welcome.

The Adopt-a-Park program is a partnership between the village and volunteers in an effort to keep the parks clean, safe and attractive. This program will educate and encourage people to care for and maintain the parks, facilities and other green spaces in Villa Park.

Adopt-a-Park is also an effort to help maintenance procedures, prevent crime and report vandalism to the Village's playgounds and play equipment and to promote community involvement.

"Because of the fiscal challenges facing the village departments, and in particular, the parks department, we have come up with the Adopt-a-Park program that will assist staff in maintaining and beautifying our parks. With the community's involvement, our goal of providing clean and beautiful parks to our residents can be accomplished," said Greg Gola, Director of Parks and Recreation.

Volunteers may include individuals, corporations, businesses, schools, neighborhood associations, youth groups, families, friends and scouts. Groups will commit to work in their park one day per week, mid-April through mid-November. Among the groups' responsibilities are weekly litter control, seasonal leave raking, clearing weeds and reporting damaged equipment and vandalism to the Parks Department.

For a list of available parks or to inquire about other locations, contact the Parks and Recreation Department at (630) 834-8525 or email MarlonHummell@vprd.org.