PARKS DIVISIONS Profile
The Parks Department is responsible for the daily maintenance of the District’s 138 parks as well as providing support to recreational programs. The Department is divided into four maintenance divisions (North, Central, South, and Riverwalk) which are tasked with caring for an area spanning nearly 37 square miles and covering over 2,400 acres. The variety of parks, ranging from high use and heavily programmed areas such as the Riverwalk and sports complexes down to less maintenance-intense spaces, such as greenways, preservation areas and undeveloped land parcels, require the ongoing management of a maintenance classification system. Each of the District’s parks is assigned a mode matrix designation beginning with the highest levels of care (the Riverwalk mode standard), and ranging from levels one through six; these designations are used to determine the types of scheduled maintenance each area will receive throughout the year. In addition to these scheduled labor-based tasks, park land and site features receive regular written and visual inspections and, in conjunction with communication tools such as 311 Parks Maintenance system and NPD Info email, staff can pivot to address more immediate needs as they arise.
In recent years, and with the assistance of the Planning Department, the Parks Department has incorporated several new maintenance strategies including the Sustainable Parks Initiative, Park Meadow Project, Shoreline Stabilization, Natural Area Maintenance Plan, and Pond, River, and Shoreline Improvement. Through these maintenance strategies that include frequent site inspections, use of the parks mode matrix, and efforts that address the expectations of the community, the creation of a work plan focused on staffing needs and required materials and supplies is developed annually. In 2024, the Department is expected to be staffed by 40 full-time positions including: the Director of Parks, Park Operations Manager (3), Administrative Assistant (3), Park Specialist II (5), Park Specialist I (24), and Park Support (4). Approximately 50 part- time positions are employed throughout the year, including 16 Park Maintenance IV (twelve month) and 11 Park Maintenance III (nine month) crew members. While shifting our hiring focus from short-term to regular wage positions has been successful in recruiting staff, this approach can result in either an overall loss of total labor hours or a shift in seasons when the hours are realized. After a successful implementation in 2023, each division will continue to utilize increases in their Miscellaneous Services accounts in an effort to help catch up with maintenance tasks that had fallen behind, while also providing support during the busiest parts of the year. Staff anticipates that this increased use of contractual labor will continue to be incorporated into upcoming yearly maintenance plans as an additional way to complete regular responsibilities.
The coming year brings the expected addition of two new parks, Polo Club Park (1.8 acres) and Fairlane Farms Park (6.2 acres) to the South Parks division. Additionally, North Parks-based Naper Commons (2.1 acres) and Heritage Place Park (.5 acres) will experience their first full maintenance cycles in 2024. As in previous years, the department will place a renewed focus on managing the many natural areas found throughout the District, including woodlands, prairie and meadow areas, greenways, shoreline buffers, and ponds. Support of an ever-changing array and reconfiguration of special events, tournaments, and program support all continues to evolve and thereby push staffing needs. It is important to note that wage and supply budget dollars were modified in the 2024 budget, as needed, in anticipation of any changes and additions.
2024 BUDGET 48
napervilleparks.org
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