In accordance with Village Ordinance #68-14-1464 & #77-5-1547, pets are not allowed on the lakefront May 15-September 15.

The Village Ordinance is in place to ensure the beach is a safe place for you to visit. During the summer months, please keep your pets off the beach. Your cooperation helps keep the beach clean for everyone!

At the April 16 Regular Park Board meeting, Commissioners approved the Friends Park Construction Bid presented by staff.  The competitive bid opening was conducted on April 9, 2013 with four bidders responding.

The low bidder, Hacienda Landscaping Inc., from Plainfield Illinois, submitted a Base Bid of $435,400 with an Add Alternate #1 of $2,500 for the Sway Fun play piece.  The total bid amount accepted by the Park Board was $437,900.  In a separate motion the Park Board also approved a contingency budget for the project in the amount of $44,000.

Staff expects to finalize contracts and paperwork over the next 10 days and hopes to begin the project during the last week of April.  

• View the Conceptual Plan

Please check back often for project updates. For more information, please call Steven Nagle or Rick Bold at (847) 835-3030

The Glencoe Park District is proud to bring a new and improved Friends Park to the community this summer. The Friends Park plan was developed over the past five months with comprehensive input from the community. 

The Glencoe Park District has published and released the Friends Park Redevelopment Bid package on March 21, 2013.  Bids are being accepted until April 9, 2013 at 2:00 pm.  The District anticipates awarding the Bid at the April 16, 2013 Regular Board Meeting with construction commencing in late April.   Pending weather, the project is expected to be completed by mid-July.  Architectural drawings of Friends Park can be viewed at Takiff Center.   

For a copy of the bid notice and bid invitation, please click here.

The Glencoe Park District has been working with the community over the past four months to develop what we know will be a great new park and playground at Friends Park.

The new concept for Friends Park includes:

• 50% soft rubberized play surface / 50% engineered wood fiber
• A large, 5-12-year-old playground structure with slides and play panels
• A boat-themed, 2-5-year-old playground structure with slides and climbing areas
• 9 swings – including 4 tot swings; 4 belt swings and one handicapped accessible swing
• A large, rope “mountain” climbing structure
• Two newer playground elements: a Super-Nova and a Rock n’ Cross (searchable on YouTube)
• A small sand play area with built-in digger feature
• Expanded playground footprint and sightlines
• A seating plaza with benches
• A new water fountain with bottle filler station and pet-level bowl

Click here to see pictures of the conceptual plan and equipment examples.

The District is in the final steps of planning and is very excited to see the project come to life. Over the next two months the District will be soliciting competitive “bids” and select a contractor to perform the renovation and installation of the playground.

In 2011, the Glencoe Park District completed a comprehensive energy assessment that detailed recommendations for increasing energy efficiencies throughout the District’s facilities. During winter break, the Park District completed the second recommendation of replacing the Takiff Center gym lights with new, high-efficient lighting. Twenty-four fixtures were installed, which now not only brighten the space but also provide significant long-term benefits.

Financial and Green Benefits include:

• Short payback of 17.9 months (return on initial investment of $8,653)
• Significant estimated rebate opportunity of $4,699+ from the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. This is a limited time program.
• Significant energy savings of 24,578 kWh, which will reduce energy spending by over $2,654 per year.
• Higher quality light can help improve employee performance and occupant comfort while using the facilities.
• Significant green benefits, including the reduction of carbon dioxide equivalent to:

o   The annual greenhouse gas emissions from 03.3 passenger vehicles

o   CO₂ emissions from the electricity use of 2.1 homes for one year

o   Carbon sequestered by 435 tree seedlings grown for 10 years

For more information regarding the lighting replacement and energy assessment, contact Steve Nagle, Interim Executive Director, at 847-835-7530 or snagle@glencoeparkdistrict.com. For more information on the Glencoe Park District’s programs, facilities, and services, call 847-835-3030 or visit www.glencoeparkdistrict.com.

The Park District has received terrific feedback thus far through survey responses, emails, phone calls, and in-person ideas at recent meetings and events. If you would like to share additional comments, do not hesitate to contact Steve Nagle, Interim Executive Director, at (847) 835-7530 or snagle@glencoeparkdistrict.com.

The Glencoe Beach and Lakefront Advisory Group presented its Mission and Vision Statement for the Glencoe Beach and Lakefront Park to the Board of Park Commissioners on December 18, 2012. Click here to read the statement as accepted by the Board on 12/18/12.

A plan to replace and renovate Friends Park will be developed in the next few weeks. As part of this development phase, we will reach out to Glencoe community members for public input. If you would like to share your ideas, please contact Steve Nagle at (847) 835-7530 or snagle@glencoeparkdistrict.com.

Click here to read the latest news on the Park District, Village of Glencoe, and School District 35 online now, or watch your mailbox for delivery.

Click here for details on this request.

If you have any comments regarding this project and cannot attend the Board meeting, please email Interim Executive Director Steve Nagle at snagle@glencoeparkdistrict.com and he will circulate all comments to the Park Board prior to the meeting.

The Glencoe Park District announced that Steven Nagle was appointed Interim Executive Director of the Glencoe Park District, effective today. Nagle was selected by the Board of Park Commissioners on a 4-0 vote at a Special meeting of the board last night. He served as Director of Operations of the Glencoe Park District since early 2011 and is responsible for the Beach/Lakefront, Watts Center, and Takiff Center operations, facility maintenance, budgets, related park district programs, and customer service. Nagle stated, "Glencoe is fortunate to have such wonderful parks, facilities, and programs to serve the needs of the community and Park District patrons. I am looking forward to working with our very competent and experienced staff to serve the Glencoe community."

Board President Maxine Retsky commented, "Steve has been heavily involved in the day to day operations of the Park District and will be able to step in to provide a seamless transition during this time. In addition, the Park District has a strong group of directors and staff that will assist him to keep operations thriving while we search for a new Executive Director."

Prior to joining the Glencoe Park District, Nagle served as Assistant Director of Recreation and Wellness for the Jewish Community Centers (JCC) of Chicago, responsible for over 500 recreation, fitness, and aquatics programs across seven facilities and is also active in the Illinois Parks and Recreation Association. He has a Masters Degree in Leisure Studies -- Administration, from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana, and is a graduate of New Trier High School. Steve and his wife Beth have one son who turns three in August.

Steve Nagle can be reached at (847) 835-7540 or snagle@glencoeparkdistrict.com.

For more information, contact Sandra LoCascio, Manager of Marketing and Communications, at slocascio@glencoeparkdistrict.com.

On June 1, Glencoe residents will receive a copy of a The Glencoe Quarterly, a new combined newsletter published jointly by the Village, the Park District and School District 35. The 12-page newsletter, which will be published quarterly on the first day of March, June, September and December over the next three years, is projected to generate an aggregate savings of $15,000 - $18,000 for Glencoe taxpayers annually. In addition to reducing costs, the publication’s production quality has been enhanced through the incorporation of a professionally designed newsletter template, and the use of four-color printing. The combined newsletter is also expected to result in several environmental benefits through the use of soy ink, 100% recycled paper and reduced paper consumption.

The combined publication is scheduled to replace three separate newsletters that were formerly published and distributed by each entity between 2-6 times per year. In connection with this effort that commenced in the fall of 2011, a committee of staff members from each participating entity developed joint specifications, evaluated competitive proposals and engaged the lowest responsible design and printing bidders in order to achieve maximum cost savings.

The combined newsletter represents another in a group of shared service initiatives that are presently being pursued by Glencoe’s respective taxing bodies, as part of an overall effort to eliminate redundancy and duplication.

Click here to read the first issue of The Glencoe Quarterly!