The Homewood-Flossmoor Park District will have a variety of residents’ comments to sift through as it works on its next strategic plan. The plan was last updated 10 years ago.
About 50 people gathered at The Clubhouse Wednesday, Oct. 16, to offer their opinions and to learn what the park board might have in mind for its parks and facilities.
Posterboard stations were set up around the back of the room asking for comments on every aspect of the park district. Using post-in notes, residents left their opinions and suggestions for how to make the park district better in the future.
“I’m concerned about the direction of the park district. I think that rather than spend a lot of money on the future they need to work on what they have already,” said Maria Pasquinelli of Flossmoor. She is hoping the park district will make physical improvements to the H-F Racquet and Fitness Club, especially the locker rooms.
Pasquinelli is a tennis booster who knows that pickleball is popular now. Pickleball players are using tennis courts at the club. She will remind the park commissioners that the club was built by tennis players and tennis is still an important component of the club.
Pickleball players were present, and they want more options. “Pickleball everywhere!” one woman said. A Ballantrae Park booster who “loves this park” was hoping for tennis courts there.
Beverly Graham of Flossmoor said she took advantage of the club’s services for young mothers, including childcare and a room where moms and tots could be together exercising. Those were discontinued since the pandemic.
She also hopes pickleball can be offered for kids. Her four children, ages 6 to 13, played pickleball with a net set up at their house this summer. They’d like to continue playing, but pickleball is only offered as an adult activity.
Crystal Cleggett was going to check out activities for her senior citizen mom and was hoping the park district could expand programs to more than sports. She thought STEM and consumer economics would be good programs for pre-teens and teens.
Liz Varnecky of South Suburbs for Green Space wants the park district to reduce its use of pesticides and herbicides and plant more native plants.
Some Attendees were at the meeting to learn about the strategic planning process. Liz Dafoe of Upland Design, the firm hired to work with the park board, said the master plan is being developed in four phases: 1) Reviewing and assessing data, including numbers of programs and financials; 2) Outreach and assessment, which includes meetings with residents to glean their opinions; 3) Vision – what will the future look like and how to plan for it; 4) Final strategic plan report, the roadmap for the future, ready for adoption by the park board in spring 2025.
The park district manages 10 mini parks, 12 neighborhood parks, six community parks and nature areas Irons Oaks Environmental Learning Center and Coyote Run Golf Course. It manages Wiley’s Grill, the H-F Racquet and Fitness Club, the Sports Complex at James Hart School, the H-F Ice Arena, the Irwin Center, eXtreme Scene Skate Park, Lions Club Pool, The Clubhouse at Dolphin Lake, and the Goldberg Administration Building.