As the year winds down and we start to reflect on 2025, I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to the many volunteers who make our community events so special—especially those who helped bring the Haunted Hayride to life this past October. I had the joy of experiencing it with my grandchild this year, and it reminded me once again just how much heart this community has.
We’ve also seen your enthusiasm for community as we continue our work on the Park District’s Comprehensive Plan Update. I want to thank everyone who has participated so far. If you’re interested in being part of this process, I encourage you to attend our upcoming Board meetings—your input truly shapes our direction.
We’ve been very impressed with the work of our consultant team. Their third-party, statistically accurate community survey has provided us with reliable, meaningful feedback. Combined with ongoing engagement, this is helping us build a thoughtful, professional plan that reflects real community priorities.
We’ve incorporated all that we’ve learned to build our preliminary draft comprehensive plan. This planning process gives us the tools to look at current levels of service and project what our community will need in the future. The strongest impact doesn’t always come from expanding our footprint, but from investing in and elevating the spaces our community uses every day.
At our November 20 meeting, we will review a substantial portion of the preliminary draft. One of the most important elements is the updated Level of Service analysis. For the first time, we’re able to assess what we offer in a more holistic way—identifying where needs are greatest and quantifying those gaps with greater clarity. This work helps us “take the temperature” of the community and set priorities for the coming years.
We are also wrapping up the 2026 Budget, which will be published once it receives final approval.
Finally, I’m pleased to share that the Vincent-to-Gazzam Trail connection is nearly complete and on track to open in December. This new segment creates a key link between Gazzam Lake Nature Preserve and downtown, expanding safe and accessible trail options for walkers and hikers.
Thank you for your continued engagement and support. We look forward to sharing more updates soon.