Dear Naperville Park District Community: It is the mission of the Naperville Park District to provide recreation and park experiences that promote healthy lives, healthy minds and a healthy community. Parks and open space and recreation opportunities are prime components of livable communities providing natural respite and access to physical activity, an essential public service. A dynamic park and recreation system offers health benefits and social and economic value to its community. Surveys throughout the country often cite parks and recreation as a top-rated amenity within communities and year after year Naperville is listed as one of the best places to live in the country. Included within the community and one of the elements that makes Naperville such a great place is the Naperville Park District — with its diverse parks and open space and many recreational programs, with offerings reaching across all ages and abilities. Park District staff is committed to providing the best experiences for residents and guests and these initiatives are further enhanced by way of the District’s public and private community partners. Recognizing the importance and value of parks and recreation in the community, the Naperville Park District strives to be responsive to residents, while balancing the diverse recreation interests of a large District. This is accomplished through the creation and implementation of the Master Plan to provide an in-depth view of the District’s resources, programs, and services. A Master Plan is a document that guides direction for future growth that is comprehensive and long-range in scope and identifies goals and objectives the agency wants to achieve; a living document that is not set in stone and complements the District’s Mission, Vision, and Core Values. The Master Plan will highlight what was accomplished in the last five years and identify the District’s direction over the next five to ten years. Additionally, the Park District is tasked with the responsibility of creating and following multiple plans and processes to ensure efficiency throughout the organization, while projecting future needs of the District. The Park District Master Plan provides essential guidance in long-term decision-making while establishing goals and priorities based on current and needed open space and recreation offerings. Since the last Master Plan update in 2018, the Park District welcomed Wolf’s Crossing Community Park, the last large- scale undeveloped park parcel in the District’s inventory, the 95th Street Community Plaza, numerous park renovations, and many new pickleball courts. It is important to note that much of this was completed during the global COVID-19 pandemic, with the post-recovery from this time allowing the District’s planning to gauge the community’s needs and wants and how they evolved in light of this pandemic. Finally, the Park District once again attained the status of a best-in-class parks and recreation service provider as evidenced by receiving reaccreditation in 2021 through CAPRA, the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies, which is the National Recreation and Park Association’s (NRPA) accreditation program. The Naperville Park District is honored to serve this involved, enthusiastic community and looks forward to continuing to provide high quality park and recreation services that make Naperville an attractive and healthy place to live, work, and play. No matter how you choose to recreate, there are a number of ways to enjoy all that Naperville Park District offers. We appreciate you taking the time to read the Master Plan and look forward to serving your recreational needs in the years ahead. Sincerely, The Naperville Park District Board of Commissioners
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Naperville Park District | 2023 MASTER PLAN
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