Gurnee Park District issued the following announcement on Aug. 7.
The Gurnee Park District is turning 50 years old this year! I want to take this opportunity to thank you and our Gurnee community for your support of the park district for the past 50 years.
On September 7, 1968, voters approved a referendum, initiated by the Village of Gurnee, establishing Gurnee Park District. Since then, the Gurnee Park District has been an integral part of this community providing beautiful parks and a variety of recreational opportunities.
Swimming was our first established recreation program and started at Gowe Beach, fondly referred to as the "pit". From the 70s to the 90s recreation programs grew to include indoor and outdoor sports, dance, camps, and preschool. In the 1990s, the Gurnee population expanded from 16,701 to 31,834, a 91% increase, as a result of new residential, industrial and commercial development. The Park District grew with the demands of the population adding new parks, programs, and services in subsequent years.
Today, Gurnee Park District has 28 park sites, 24 playgrounds, two community centers, a 75,000sf fitness center, a 1,500 bather load outdoor aquatic center, 6 outdoor tennis courts, 23 outdoor basketball courts, 21 soccer fields, 16 baseball or softball fields, 6 outdoor volleyball courts, 3 skate parks, 14 picnic shelters, one fishing area, a sled hill, 4 outdoor ice rinks and a soon to be outdoor pickleball complex with eight individual courts.
Personally, I have been privileged to be a part of the Gurnee Park District for the past twenty-one years. I have seen the District grow from a small Park District with a budget of $3.6 million to a large District with $17.6 million. In 2010, we were honored with the Gold Medal Award from National Park and Recreation Association, the highest form of recognition within the parks and recreation industry.
Gurnee Park District is fortunate to have an excellent Park Board and an exceptional team of employees. We have great relationships with the School Districts, Library, Village and Warren Township and together we are able to meet the needs of our residents. We thank all of you including our intergovernmental partners, sponsors, previous employees, retirees, residents, park goers, and families for a successful fifty years of fun.
I am confident that the District will continue to grow and thrive based on our strong foundation and future plans. We are planning a big event to celebrate this milestone on September 8th at Viking Park. On behalf of the Gurnee Park District, I invite you to come and celebrate the 50th anniversary with us. Please check out the bottom of this program guide to learn more about our 50-year history.
Thank you again for your continued support. I hope to see you at the 50th-anniversary event.
Schedule of Events
September 8, 2018 at Viking Park
| 4:00 pm - 7:30 pm | Car Show |
| 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm | Bounce House Village, Kid's Zone, Face Paint, DJ and Games |
| 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm | Basketball Free Throw Contest |
| 5:00 pm - 9:00 pm | Food for purchase includes:
Dickey's BBQ Pit, Mothers Truckn Good Food, Nothing Bundt Cakes, Depidy Dawg Ice Cream and Boy Scout Troop 677 will be selling popcorn and beverages |
| 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm | Live, all ages concert by Breakfast Club |
Source: Gurnee Park District
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