Tinley Park-Park District Ups Membership Fees at Some Facilities

The Tinley Park-Park District will introduce a small raise in membership rates for all Tinley Park-Park District facilities, effective March 1. The facilities where membership rates will be affected include; the Tony Bettenhausen Recreation Center, Tinley Fitness, and White Water Canyon Water Park. Park District officials indicated the small increase in membership fess to these facilities are due to increasing operating costs and looming increases in minimum wages across the state, while their ultimate goal is keeping tax rates stable for Tinley Park-Park District residents.

Only new members of Tinley Fitness, which opened its new location attached to the Recreation Center in November 2013, will be affected by the price change. Current members will continue to pay their current rates as long as they remain active members. White Water Canyon passes go on sale March 1. All members seeking season passes for the 2015 water park season will pay the new rates, however, a preseason discount is available for all pass types for those that purchase their season pass before May 14, 2015. Recreation Center memberships are sold all year and last for one year from the time of purchase.

“Our fitness center and water park have always been self-sustaining,” said John Curran, Director of Parks and Recreation for the Park District. “The membership fees from both residents and non-residents to use these facilities help to maintain and operate these facilities without increasing the burden on taxpayers in our park district.”

This is the first time since 2008 that membership fees at The Tony Bettenhausen Recreation Center and White Water Canyon Water Park have been increased.

“In order for our facilities to avoid relying on subsidies, we have to be proactive in looking at what the future of operations will mean,” explained Karol Komar, the district’s Facilities Manager. “The largest fee increase is $15 for a family of four to purchase a season-long water park season pass, so we really wanted to keep it small, while ensuring we can continue to operate without the need of tax dollars to do so.”

For further information about the facilities, the Park District can be contacted at (708) 342-4200 or by email at info@tinleyparkdistrict.org.