Carol Stream Park District recognizes retiring commissioners
The Carol Stream Park District recognized retiring park board commissioners Brenda Gramann and Brian Sokolowski on May 12, 2025.
These two commissioners have dedicated 24 years of outstanding volunteer service to the park district and the community. They became interested in serving on the board when the district successfully passed a $12 million referendum in 2000, which provided critical funding for repairs, maintenance, and improvements to park district properties. Their leadership during the 2010 $37 million referendum guided the building of Fountain View Recreation Center and McCaslin Park.
Gramann is a Master Board Member, and served as board president for 7 years. Sokolowski is also a Master Board Member, and served as board president for 3 years. During their tenure, the Carol Stream Park District was recognized as a Distinguished Agency in 2007, 2013, and 2018 and won the prestigious National Gold Medal Award in 2002 and 2008. The park district was a finalist for the National Gold Metal Award in 2001, 2002 and 2014.
In the last 24 years, multiple properties were acquired, developed or renovated, including the following parks: Armstrong, Bierman, Cambridge, Carolshire, Charger Court, Community, Friendship, Hampe, Horizon, Jirsa, Memorial, Papoose Tot Lot, Park on the Green, Red Hawk, Sundance, Shining Waters, Slepicka Homestead, Stonebridge, Tedrahn, Volunteer, Walter, and Weeks.
Additional projects included the Glenbard North High School Turf Field, connection to the Great Western Trail, Bierman Lake Trail, Mitchell Lakes Trail, Pleasant Hill Trail, maintenance facility, and renovations to Elk Trail Recreation Center, Coyote Crossing Mini Golf, Coral Cove Water Park, and Simkus Recreation Center.
Multiple grants were awarded, in excess of $7 million from Park and Recreational Facilities Construction Act, Community Development Block Grant with the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development; Illinois Department of Natural Resources; Illinois Clean Energy; DuPage County Clean Water; and DuPage Tourism.
Partnerships were developed with the IDNR, IDOT, Forest Preserve of DuPage County; villages of Carol Stream and Glendale Heights; Winfield, Wayne and Milton townships; Carol Stream Public Library; Glenbard High School District 87; Carol Stream Elementary District 93; Benjamin Elementary District 25; Elgin Area School District U-46; and Wheaton Warrenville Unit District 200, which created cost savings and improved recreational amenities for residents.
Commissioners Gramann and Sokolowski encouraged strong financial management as evidenced by the district earning the GFOA Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting during the last 24 years and tax savings from refinancing debt at lower interest rates.
In addition, they encouraged higher standards of park district services by increasing staff training opportunities, better equipped maintenance crews, planting more than 400 trees, enhancing accessibility and continuous program participation increases reflect their support of the park district operations.