When the Waukegan Park District crafted its last strategic plan five years ago, officials sought ideas from the public. Shelby McDonald, the Park District’s director of marketing and communications, said several programs were added as a result.
“That’s when we added family lataria nights, family swim nights and the Go Waukegan program,” McDonald said. “People said they wanted swim lessons. We added the second-grade (swimming lesson) field trips and free first-grade swimming lessons from North Shore Gas.”
Now the Park District is beginning the process of creating a new master plan for the next five years, and once again wants to know what the public thinks. McDonald said a survey is being developed to help guide the process.
Park District officials and consultants made visits on Sept. 25 and 26 to both their own facilities and other locations in Waukegan, including a grocery store and the Waukegan Public Library, to engage the public and begin the process of further research.
Zara Dittman, who was at the library with her two young children, was one of the people sharing her ideas with the district officials. She said she likes the inclusivity of the current programs, and hopes to see that continued.
“I appreciate the accessibility they provide to the people who need it,” Dittman said. “I like the splash pad and the music sensory elements, as well as the traditional slides,” she added, referring to improvements made at Corrine J. Rose Park three years ago.
Joan Welton, who describes herself as a senior, said she spends a lot of time using the Park District’s walking paths and trails. She feels they are well-maintained, and safe places to go for a walk.
Besides the library, McDonald said she, other officials and consultants hired to help assemble the data and analyze the results, visited a grocery store, Rose Park and the Field House Sports, Fitness & Aquatics Center.
“We got a lot of feedback from a variety of people,” she said. “We talked to hundreds of residents.”
Danielle Wilson is the manager of the local government practice group of BerryDunn, an accounting and consulting firm retained by the Park District to help it gather and analyze the community engagement data and help prepare the survey.
“We’re leading the community engagement to help the Park District learn what the community wants to see in its facilities, programs and other services,” Wilson said.” This allows the community to have a say in the plan, and the choice of programs offered.”
Gathering information from the public both in person and online through early or mid-October, McDonald said the Park District will develop a formal survey which will be mailed to homes within the city in mid-November.
Along with the survey, McDonald said the Park District will reach out to community partners like the city, Waukegan Community Unit School District 60, Waukegan Township, the Lake County Health Department and the library, to get ideas to help serve the public.
Hoping to have a draft of the plan by spring, McDonald said the final version will ultimately be presented to the Park District Board of Commissioners for approval.
