INTRODUCTION
Interviewing key leaders of organizations engaged in some level of recreation services in the Naperville community offers helpful insight into the community’s needs and desires for indoor recreation space. Key leaders were interviewed in a casual and conversational way, and the community leaders had the opportunity to express their views of the current state of the Park District and provide insight regarding the types of recreational activities they felt the community needs and would enjoy the most. The questions used in the interviews encouraged participants to provide informal answers and they were given the opportunity to elaborate freely or ask the interviewer to further explain any of the questions. In general, participants
Naperville Park District - Knoch Knolls Nature Center were asked about their use of the District’s facilities and other nearby indoor recreation offerings, overall operations of the park system, programs and facilities they feel should be added or expanded in the community, and their views on a potential new activity center and how it could be financially supported. This report presents a summary of the interviews that were conducted individually and in person by Naperville Park District leadership staff. The questions are shown in bolded text , and notes were taken of responses given during the interview process and then summarized into individual narratives for each question. Each person interviewed was told their names would not be used in this report or in the final Indoor Recreation Space Needs Assessment Report. The participants were encouraged to be candid in their answers and they did not have to contribute to any question(s) they did not want to or could not answer.
INTERVIEWS SUMMARY
1. Do you and your family currently use existing Naperville Park District indoor recreation spaces? Which spaces and for what purposes? Families in Naperville frequently utilize various indoor recreation facilities provided by the Naperville Park District. Popular spaces include the 95th Street Center and the Alfred Rubin Riverwalk Community Center (ARRCC), where residents participate in a variety of activities. The ARRCC, however, presents challenges with downtown traffic and parking, impacting accessibility for some users, and resulting in some individuals and families avoiding programs held at the location. Fort Hill Activity Center stands out for its comprehensive amenities, such as a gym, fitness equipment, child play areas, and programs like Parents Night Out, kids’ camps, and birthday parties. Despite some members letting their memberships lapse due to cost or underutilization, many find Fort Hill invaluable, especially for programs like fitness and exercise classes. Users appreciate the varied programming, even though some encounter inconvenience with the location and parking on Saturdays when youth basketball occurs along with large events at the neighboring indoor synthetic turf field facility that offer sports training programs (TOCA). Families also enjoy the District’s outdoor amenities, including golf courses, playgrounds, and parks. The Western DuPage Special Recreation Association (WDSRA) and its clients frequently use Naperville Park District facilities, highlighting the District’s commitment to inclusion. Additionally, the Knoch Knolls Nature Center is favored for its educational environmental programs, including a nature-based preschool, which attract nature-loving families, groups, and other organizations.
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