Fox Valley parks bring home national prize
Nearly three decades had passed since the Fox Valley Park District was nominated for and won the business's highest honor, so 2009 was the year to fill the trophy case.
The Fox Valley Park District brought home the country's most prestigious honor in the parks and recreation profession, the National Gold Medal Award for Excellence in Park and Recreation Management as presented by the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration and the National Recreation and Park Association.
It was the first time the district had applied to be considered since 1983.
"It's pretty uncommon to win on your first try, so we were hoping to get ourselves into consideration for the future by highlighting some of the great things we've accomplished," said parks spokesman Jeff Long. "But in the end, it appears as if the trust and relationship we've fostered with the community in recent years really impressed the judges."
That relationship was further solidified, Long said, when residents overwhelmingly approved two tax increases in six years totaling $78 million. Most recently, the $45 million 2008 Open Space, Park and Recreation Investment referendum that garnered a 65 percent approval rate, became the largest park district capital improvement referendum in Illinois since the implementation of a state-imposed tax cap in the early 1990s.
"We also pride ourselves on how we diversify our projects so we're striking a balance between developing new parks and rehabbing old ones," Long said. "And that's all part of listening to our residents and responding to their input."
Specifically, Long pointed to the 2005 construction of the new $26 million Vaughan Athletic Center and last summer's renovation of Greene Field Park, the city's oldest park and one of its most popular.
"Greene Field was always a very popular place to gather because it was a green space in the inner city," Long said. "Then it was the sight of a gang shooting in 2006 and people stayed away. So we went in, gave it a total makeover and it is again one of our most popular and pretty parks."
The awards are presented annually to recognize excellence in the field of park and recreation administration and management through a nationwide competition.
Fox Valley won the Class II division, besting a field of finalists that included Pleasure Driveway and Park District of Peoria, Ill.; City of Fort Collins Culture, Parks, Recreation and Environment, Colo.; and City of Peoria, Ariz.
Fox Valley Executive Director Steve Messerli likened the award to winning an Oscar.
"On behalf of residents of the Fox Valley Park District, we are extremely proud and honored to receive the greatest distinction a park and recreation agency can achieve," he said. "This is the Academy Awards for park and recreation agencies. This demonstrates Fox Valley's continued commitment to providing the best park district facilities, programs and services we can offer."
<p class="factboxheadblack">Fox Valley Park District </p> <p class="News">Located 40 miles west of Chicago, the Fox Valley Park District serves more than 200,000 residents in three cities - Aurora, North Aurora and Montgomery - within four counties. </p> <p class="breakhead">By the numbers</p> <p class="News">• 1.5 million guests served annually</p> <p class="News">• 2,500 acres of open space</p> <p class="News">• 150 parks</p> <p class="News">• 83 playgrounds</p> <p class="News">• 70 basketball courts</p> <p class="News">• 50 baseball fields</p> <p class="News">• 45 soccer fields</p> <p class="News">• 37 park shelters</p> <p class="News">• 36.5 miles of multi-use trails</p> <p class="News">• 36 outdoor tennis courts</p> <p class="News">• 24 lakes</p> <p class="News">• 22 miles of river shoreline</p>