Bloomingdale Park District Seasonal Brochure Winter-Spring 2016-17 | Page 61

The Park Bench NEWS a publication of the Bloomingdale Park District Youth Autumn 2016 Greetings, On behalf of the Board of Commissioners, Executive Director and the entire staff of the Bloomingdale Park District, thank you for approving our referendum request this past November. Because of your belief in our ability to do what is right for our stakeholders, the opportunity to improve our existing facilities is now available to us. As soon as construction season begins, you will see a flurry of activity throughout the district. Springfield Park baseball/softball fields will finally get the long-awaited improvements to the drainage system, which will prevent numerous rainouts of baseball games due to flooded fields. The addition of a proper drainage system will also improve the water quality of the adjacent Springfield Park Wetlands by preventing hundreds of pounds of ball field topping mix from washing into them. Those same wetlands will receive shoreline improvements as well as replacement of the walking/jogging/cycling path. The wetlands are necessary parts of the stormwater drainage system for the surrounding area. Buzz Puccio There will be a lot going on at the Johnston Recreation Center, too. The main floor will be renovated to provide a more secure entrance with the registration desk being moved to the entrance lobby in order to monitor entry and exit of all patrons. Old locker areas, now used for storage, will be turned into multi-purpose rooms, providing dedicated space for active adult activities. Preschool areas will be centralized on the main level and modernized with a committed effort to make our youngest customers more secure while also providing a happy environment for their earliest learning opportunities. The Oasis Water Park is going to see some improvement too. As we enter our 12th season, much needed modernization will be apparent on several of the features as well as general cosmetic improvements to much of the space. Additional deck space and shade structures, identified by residents as a priority for The Oasis, also will be implemented. All of this construction work should be completed within the next two years. While we will attempt to keep disruptions to a minimum, your favorite class or activity may be temporarily moved to an alternate location. We apologize for any inconvenience but think you will be pleased with the final results. Our intent is to inform you well in advance of any schedule or location changes whenever we can. I urge you to visit our website and regularly follow us on our various social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram) to stay up-to-date on our progress. Again, thank you for your continued support. The Board of Commissioners meets at 7 p.m. in the community room of the Johnston Recreation Sebastian “Buzz” Puccio Center. The public is invited to attend. President Schedules, minutes and agendas are available online at www.bloomingdaleparks.org. Bloomingdale Park District Board of Commissioners Sincerely yours, bloomingdale park district board of commissioners Buzz Puccio President Andre Burke Vice President Jerry Marshall Treasurer Mike Vogl Commissioner Karen Johns Commissioner Mission Statement The Mission of the Bloomingdale Park District is to efficiently and economically provide recreation programs, facilities and open spaces designed to provide enjoyable leisure time experiences that benefit the community. Register online at bloomingdaleparks.org or complete the registration form on page 69. | 61