CHAPTER FOUR • KEY LEADER INTERVIEWS NAPERVILLE PARK DISTRICT INDOOR RECREATION SPACE NEEDS ASSESSMENT
Additional indoor recreation space is particularly needed in south Naperville, reflecting the area’s growth and recreational needs. A call for accessible indoor aquatics facilities for special needs individuals and the broader community is emphasized as a crucial addition to the District’s offerings, noting that swim lesson options for individuals with special needs are limited at facilities offered by private providers. 5. What indoor recreation programs and events do you feel (or hear about from others) need to be added or expanded within the community? Expanding high-demand programs and addressing waitlists within activities are necessary improvements. Forming partnerships with existing facility providers, such as the Fry Family YMCA, could help meet these demands, enhancing program availability. In addition to indoor aquatics program space, gym, turf, and event facilities, there is a noted interest for competitive cricket venues, individual fitness spaces, and future considerations for increased gymnasium related and gymnastics programs. Indoor swimming programs are highly sought after, with high school facilities feeling pressure to meet community demands for aquatics. The demand for swim lessons and lap swimming remains high, though challenges in hiring lifeguards in addition to availability of facility space must be addressed to meet these needs effectively. More indoor classrooms and vehicular parking spaces are also suggested to support the growing interest in various programs. There is also interest in expanding the availability of drop-in non-instructional programs, such as open gyms. 6. Are there areas of the Park District’s operations that you feel should be improved? To better serve the community, the Naperville Park District could increase the availability of popular programs to improve registration. Registration for popular programs presents challenges and is stressful for some families due to the difficulty in accessing popular program times or specific teams. The District should continue to improve the usability and mobile friendliness of its website, considering many families use mobile devices to gather information and complete registrations. Implementing more QR codes for information at parks and ensuring that contracted programs meet District standards are suggested improvements. Maximizing the use of existing spaces like Knoch Knolls Nature Center and increasing staff presence at youth sports games would also enhance community engagement. Providing a timeline for facility scheduling would benefit partners like WDSRA in completing seasonal program planning.
7. If the Park District proposed a new indoor activity center, where in the community do you feel that it is most needed and what components and amenities should be included? Most often a new indoor activity center is mentioned as being needed in south Naperville, south of 75th Street. However, it should not be located too far south of 95th Street to ensure accessibility for a broad range of residents. The households located in east Naperville are also an area to consider. The closure of the Kroehler YMCA and Edward-Elmhurst Health and Fitness facilities in the downtown Naperville area has resulted in some residents feeling that there is a gap in downtown providers. Desired components include a pool with lap lanes, gyms, wellness fitness spaces, walking tracks, senior program spaces, and child watch areas. Frontier Sports Complex is suggested as a potential location for a new center to serve the Naperville community; however, competition with existing facilities is an area of concern. For families with special needs, the availability of space is more critical than the specific location within Naperville. High-demand amenities include indoor aquatics, lap swimming facilities, and senior aquatic fitness classes. These features would enhance the overall recreational offerings of the District. 8. Are there specific needs that your group or organization has that could be met through future new or expanded indoor recreation space? School District 204 has not identified immediate needs for new or expanded indoor recreation spaces, while School District 203 could see benefit to the community through expanding indoor aquatics space options and the availability of a fieldhouse for athletics. Additionally, there is an interest in increased gymnasium space to assist with meeting the needs of special recreation programs. Potential partnerships with facilities, such as the Fry Family YMCA, to meet these high demands are suggested, highlighting the importance of continued collaboration in addressing community needs.
Naperville Park District - Fort Hill Activity Center
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