Through creative dreaming and careful planning Illinois park districts have been building unique, visually attractive and fun facilities for public use. As these facilities are upgraded, remodeled and changed, park and recreation professionals make the difference between ordinary and extraordinary with the "extras" offered to customers.

Winston Churchill said, "The price of greatness is responsibility." Here are some examples of how successful facility managers have taken the responsibility to meet the needs of the their customers by retrofitting their facilities.

Pirates Grove Theme Park

It has been said that the future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams. Twenty yeas ago Elk Grove Executive Director Jack Claes was reading an advertisement in a magazine and discovered that a retail store in Minnesota was selling a child-size merry-go-round which had only been used for their annual Christmas display. Claes knew that the merry-go-round would someday play a special part in his dream of a children's amusement park.

Nearly 10 years later, his dreams became reality. Pirates Cove Theme park was developed in 1981 as a park for children with the needs of the family in mind.

Pirates Cove Theme Park was constructed with 90 percent in-house labor on a 2.2 acre site. In the middle of the park Elk Grove Park District staff built a 102-foot Pirate Ship, complete with an authentic cannon, helm and sails. The park featured two acquisitions, the merry-go-round and Hodges Hand Cars, Hodges Hand Cars are hand-propelled cars that run on tracks. The Pirates Cove Theme Park grand opening featured a unique cable and tunnel slide, a western town and an entertainment stage.

Pirates Cove was a dream for a long time. Through collaborative efforts, it became a thriving reality. Franklin Roosevelt could have described how Elk Grove Park District staff felt about Pirates Cove when he said, "Happiness lies in the joy of achievement and the thrill of creative effort."

In the 10 years Pirates Cove has been open, customers have been observed and their suggestions taken seriously. Based on their suggestions, many changes have been made to the park. The number of visitors to the park each year has surpassed original expectations. Because of this, changes have been made to accommodate the many visitors. Pathways were widened and ramps added to accommodate strollers. Stroller parking areas have been added. Despite the fact that the park is dotted with many shade trees, umbrellas have been added to concession tables to add additional shade.

One popular program offered at Pirates Cove is the birthday parties. Due to the success of the birthday parties, the number of parties held each summer has tripled. Subtle changes were made to improve supplies for the parties. New invitations were printed. A facility-orientated coloring book and crayons are distributed as favors. At pre-registration each party parent is given a step-by-step guide to a successful birthday party at Pirates Cove.

To keep Pirates Cove exciting and innovative two major attractions were added to the park, and the park has been increased in size to accommodate its customers.

Grove Interpretive Center

Another example of a dream becoming reality is the Grove Interpretive Center at Glenview Park District. Park District staff and volunteers developed a vision of the Center. The original Center was a house with several additions which had outlived its effectiveness. After this group put their ideas on paper, the staff began working with an architect. All facility changes were made with little or no changes to the environment as this is a most environmentally sensitive area.

Asphalt driveways were removed and replaced with natural materials. The new Center has been designed as an 1800s log cabin and features display cases depicting period life, animal care areas, classrooms for the elaborate School/Park District cooperative education program, and much needed office and storage space. The major changes at the Center opened a new dimension of historical and interpretive information.

Rand Pool

Like Elk Grove Park District's Pirates Cove, Des Plaines Park District put Rand Pool through many facility changes. According to Des Plaines Park District Aquatic/Fitness Supervisor Nancy Hudson, the Park District installed the tallest and longest publicly owned and operated water slides in the State of Illinois in 1983. Due to the success of their operation, the Park District needed to make several facility changes to accommodate their guests.

An observation deck was changed into a sun deck by making the area accessible from the pool deck. After years of cooperative

agreements with two local businesses for parking rights, the Park District was able to purchase one of the businesses to further enhance patron parking accommodations. Much needed lockers were relocated to the women's locker room and small wallet lockers were provided. Through evaluations, responsive facility changes were made at Rand Pool.

Owens Center

At Peoria Park District's Owens Center, an ice and community center, Park District Facility Manager Barbara Manselle-Needham reports that energy-saving retrofits have been completed. One of the major projects included the installation of an Alumazorb Reflective Ceiling. The ceiling keeps cool air down by the ice and warm air above the reflective panels. It also increases the brightness at the rink level.

To enhance the energy-saving reflective panels, four oscillating fans circulate the air. As a further cost-saving measure the Park District worked with the Caterpillar Corp. to install a generator that allows Owens Center to use the generator during high peak electrical times.

These cost-saving measures benefit the users. Dollars which would have been spent on utility bills are now spent for the skaters. The community is very supportive of the Park District's energy conservation efforts. These measures have created good will and respect among area residents.

Forest View Racquet Club

Arlington Heights Park District has also been concerned with energy-saving measures. Forest View Racquet Club Manager Judy Julison reports that an energy control system that was installed a couple years ago has paid off. Another pay-off for the Club has been the annual capital replacement program. Some tangible benefits Club users have enjoyed include the renovation of the outdoor tennis courts which include more room between courts, a new viewing area and pavilion control area, wind screens, backboards and divider nets, a completely resurfaced parking lot, new carpet in the locker rooms, and annually refinished and painted racquetball courts. Old office space was turned into a member lounge.

Through carefully planned facility changes Arlington Heights Park District has been better able to serve Forest View Racquet Club users. The users, in turn, have supported the Club so well that a fitness center will be added to the facility this year.

Small changes can turn into great enterprises

There are examples all around us of Illinois Park and Recreation facility managers who have taken small opportunities and turned them into great enterprises. They have listened to the customers, planned and followed through. If we want our customers to come back to our facilities, we have to listen to them and, within reason, make the changes that they want made. We must continually make the difference between ordinary and extraordinary with the extras we give our customers.

Are successful facility managers lucky? Or, is it luck when a prepared facility manager meets an opportunity and turns it into a great enterprise?

About the Author
Sharon Anderson is Manager of Recreation Facilities for the Elk Grove Park District.