Blue Island Park District Seeks Community Input on Future of Parks, Recreation

BLUE ISLAND -- The Blue Island Park District is asking residents and community members to help shape the future of its parks, recreation programs and community services by participating in a public feedback session next month as work continues on a new Comprehensive Master Plan.

The meeting will be held from 6 to 7 p.m. Monday, Aug. 17, at Memorial Park, 12804 Highland Ave., and is open to all residents, families, community organizations and stakeholders. Park District officials say the session is designed to gather ideas that will help guide decisions about parks, facilities, recreational programming and future investments for years to come.

The Comprehensive Master Plan will serve as the District's roadmap for the next five years and beyond, identifying community priorities while helping shape improvements that reflect changing recreational interests and neighborhood needs.

Executive Director Ted Ruthenberg said the planning process is only as strong as the community participation behind it.

"Our parks belong to everyone, and so should the planning process," Ruthenberg said. "This community feedback session gives residents the opportunity to sit down with us, share their ideas and help shape the future of the Blue Island Park District. This is about listening to the community and incorporating their feedback into our long-term plans to better serve our residents."

During the interactive session, participants will discuss what they value most about the Park District, identify opportunities for improvement and offer suggestions for future recreation programs, special events, facilities and park amenities. Officials also hope to learn more about neighborhood needs and emerging recreation trends that can help the District better serve residents of all ages and abilities.

Ruthenberg said feedback is especially valuable from people who may not currently participate in Park District programs or regularly visit local parks.

"In fact, we especially want to hear from people who may not currently participate in our programs or visit our parks very often," he said. "Understanding what barriers exist and what would encourage greater participation will in the end help us become a better organization providing better programs and services for our residents."

The meeting will also include discussion about how the Park District communicates with residents and how information about programs, events and recreational opportunities can be shared more effectively throughout the community.

Input gathered during the session will be combined with results from the District's community survey, stakeholder interviews and technical analysis as consultants prepare the Comprehensive Master Plan.

"The stronger the community participation, the stronger our roadmap for the future will be," Ruthenberg said. "Whether your ideas are big or small, they deserve to be heard. We hope you'll join us on Aug. 17 and help create a vision that reflects the entire Blue Island community."

The community feedback session is free and open to the public. For more information about the Comprehensive Master Plan or the Aug. 17 meeting, visit blueislandparks.org or call the Blue Island Park District at 708-385-3304.