Bartlett Park District invites you to celebrate '50 Years of Creating Fun'

The Bartlett Park District is 50 this year and invites you to join in the celebration. Stop by the Bartlett Community Center, 700 S. Bartlett Road, and take a photo with the 50-year anniversary cake. Use the available props to make it fun. Then email the photo to sfitzsimons@bartlettparks.org, to be included on the park district's Facebook page as well as in the special banner at the free Party in the Park.

Party in the Park will be held from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 23, at the Apple Orchard Community Park, 620 W. Stearns Road, in Bartlett. The event is free. There will be a live band (Blonde on Board), Eurobungy, trackless train, inflatable obstacle course, face painting, games, crafts, jumpers, inflatable slide, soccer fever cage, popcorn, lemonade, and cotton candy.

At 8:30 p.m., view the movie, "Mary Poppins," on a large inflatable screen. Come out and help the park district celebrate.

The rain location is the Bartlett Community Center, 700 S. Bartlett Road. If the event moves indoors, the Eurobungy and trackless train will be replaced with alternate indoor amusements.

The Bartlett Park District was formed by a successful public referendum vote on January 18, 1964. In 1969, the village of Bartlett donated the first 13-acre parcel to the park district, which was part of Sunrise Park. The district now owns 577 acres and leases another 20 acres for the recreational needs of the community. With 43 parks, a community center, two aquatic centers, two golf courses, two banquet facilities, a ski hill, an athletic field complex, a nature center and more, the Bartlett Park District is in the forefront of the Distinguished Accredited Agencies in the state. Additionally, it was recognized as a National Gold Medal finalist two years in a row in 2009 and 2010.

Many things have changed over the years from staffing to the addition of facilities and parks, but the park district's goals remain the same … to serve the community.

On October 28, in 2008, the Board of Commissioners adopted its mission statement, We Create Fun! ... by providing the finest in parks, programs and recreational facilities for the community. The Bartlett Park District has come a long way in 50 years and looks forward to the future.

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