As a provider of parks and recreation, the Carol Stream Park District has partnered with an organization called Park Rx America to provide people with park locations throughout the community. Healthcare providers are also working with Park Rx America to “prescribe” activities and time spent in parks to improve health and wellness.
Taken from the Park Rx America webpage – parkrxamerica.org – “Park Rx America is a non-profit organization whose mission is to decrease the burden of chronic disease, increase health and happiness, and foster environmental stewardship, by virtue of prescribing Nature during the routine delivery of healthcare by a diverse group of health care professionals.”
“Exercise is medicine,” is stated on Park Rx America’s website, and we at the Carol Stream Park District obviously agree. First of all, green is good. Breathing fresh air and taking in the beauty of the nature around us, our parks and lakes, is good for overall mind health. Exercise, no matter what type you enjoy doing, is good for overall body health. Exercising outdoors, around parks and lakes, improves both overall mind and body health; and to us, that is a bonus to living in this community.
Here’s some statements taken from an infographic posted on the Park Rx America website. The statements are not anything new to anyone that advocates health, but they deserve a mention to remind us that nature is important to mental and physical well-being:
Outdoor activity improves both mental and physical well-being more than indoor activity.
Spending more time in parks translates to being more physically active.
Spending time in nature decreases anxiety and negative thinking and lowers levels of depression and stress.
Spending time in nature is associated with better cognitive development in schoolchildren.
The closer we are to green space, the less we suffer from cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, mental health, respiratory, neurological and digestive diseases.
Diabetics who spend more time in nature are more physically active and show better blood sugar control.
Spending time in nature helps to decrease high blood pressure.
Using Park Rx America website’s “Find Parks” tab, a visitor can search for the community in which he/she lives to find nearby parks. Or, a traveler can search an area in another state for parks. A search for parks can be filtered down, for example, to sports facilities, swimming, pets, trail activities, general amenities (such as water fountains or grills), and much more.
We provided a list of all Carol Stream Park District’s parks with addresses and amenities to Park Rx America and are on their website map. However, we continue to work with them to provide accurate data about our parks. When you click on a park pointer, you can then click on “Directions”. This button takes the visitor to Google Maps. At this time, some of the “directional” data directs visitors to incorrect addresses on the Google map, so we’re working to fix that. We recommend that visitors to the Park Rx America website double check the directions to the park(s) given on the Google map. We’re also double checking parks’ amenity data provided to Park Rx America. So our presence on their website map is still a work in progress, but we want to give our community the information about Park Rx America now because their website is a very resourceful tool when searching for parks across America. Only ten states remain to be populated on the website. The website provides interesting infographics, articles and nature and health videos that can be used to introduce people to free medicine – nature!
So getting back to nature and to health, Park Rx America has been partnering with healthcare professionals across the country to “prescribe” parks and other natural environments to improve health, bringing the outdoors into medicine. Based on well-established mental and physical health benefits, these nature prescriptions encourage people to get outdoors and enjoy green space. Understandably, pharmaceutical prescriptions may be alongside these nature prescriptions, but nature prescriptions are more beautiful and can become a positive lifestyle choice for long-term health and wellness.
Join us for the 2019 Fourth of July Fireworks Show!
The Carol Stream Park District is happy to partner once again with the Village of Carol Stream to provide the 4th of July fireworks display. Historically, the Park District and Village share the costs of the annual fireworks display. In addition, the Park District sets up the fireworks at Hampe Park, provides security at the site, and clean-up after the show. Residents can relax on lawn chairs or blankets to watch the show safely at the Carol Stream Town Center after the evening concert. The fireworks show starts at 9:20 pm.
Schedule of Events – July 4, 2019
10:00 am – Parade
6:00 pm – Food trucks at Town Center
7:00 pm – Concert: StrawDawg, country music
9:20 pm – Fireworks show
Independence Day or 4th of July?
Independence Day of the United States is a federal holiday, commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July4, 1776, by the Continental Congress. It is commonly known as “Happy Fourth of July”. Celebrations and their names may differ country-wise.
Youth Vaping Epidemic & Park District NO SMOKING Policy
Youth think vaping isn’t as bad as smoking cigarettes, but it’s actually worse. In addition to having addictive nicotine, vaping products contain formaldehyde and acrolein. Formaldehyde is a respiratory irritant that causes chest pain, shortness of breath, coughing, and nose and throat irritation. It can also cause cancer, and has been linked to an increased risk of asthma and allergies in kids. Acrolein is severely irritating to skin, eyes, and mucous membranes. Inhalation of acrolein may result in respiratory distress and delayed pulmonary edema. Contact with the skin or eyes produces irritation, and can result in chemical burns.
A lengthy article by Vitisia Paynich, published in the June 2019 Parks & Recreation magazine, talks about how parks and recreation agencies are helping to fight e-cigarette use among America’s teens. Read the article when you have some time and determine for yourself the effects that vaping has on a person’s lungs and brain.
In the meantime, we’d like to remind all our park and facility visitors, that the Carol Stream Park District has adopted a NO SMOKING (of anything) ordinance on ALL park district property. That includes smoking cigarettes, pipes, cigars; use of e-cigarettes; use of tobacco; and use of matches in any form. This also includes e-pens, e-hookahs, hookah pens, vapes, vape pens, etc. If you are parked in one of our parking lots and feel the need to smoke or vape in your car, you need to move your car off park district property. READ MOREabout our park district Tobacco Free Policy.
Thank you for keeping our air clean and nontoxic!
Park District Policies
The Carol Stream Park District has just updated the Code of Conduct for participants and the Refund and Withdrawal Policy. These rules or policies are put in place for your information, benefit and/or protection. It is at this time, heading into the summer season, that we’d also like to remind residents that there is a TOBACCO FREE policy. The use of any and all tobacco products is prohibited in all park district buildings, facilities and PARKS. Smokers must be off of park district property completely. Thank you for being mindful of park district policies.
Find special events and family fun days at Coral Cove Water Park and Coyote Crossing Mini Golf in our Summer Activity Guide. All day Awesome Adventure Camp offers resident rates to parents that work in Carol Stream. Over 30 sports camps for all ages, along with Dance, Gymnastics and Theater camps. Work out with us at Fountain View Fitness Center. Create a memorable experience with so many great things to do through the Carol Stream Park District.
Resident registration begins May 3.
Nonresident registration begins May 10.
Summer season begins June 1.
DuPage Foundation awards $15,000 grant to Veterans Memorial Plaza
A $15,000 grant is being awarded to the Carol Stream Parks Foundation from the Daley Family Fund, a donor-advised fund of The DuPage Community Foundation, doing business as The DuPage Foundation. The grant is for the Veterans Memorial Plaza project in Carol Stream.
The Veterans Memorial Plaza Task Force and community members have been working diligently since May of 2016 to raise funds. In September 2018, enough funds had been raised to begin construction. Equipped with gold shovels, the Task Force broke ground on the Gary Avenue side of Town Center, near the archway.
The grant recommendation by the Daley family, through the DuPage Foundation, was unexpected and very much appreciated by all.
“After over two years of hard work by hundreds of people and companies, the community, as a whole, should be proud of their accomplishment of honoring their Veterans in this beautifully anticipated gathering place,” stated Carol Stream VFW Commander Jim Benzin. “On behalf of myself, the Veterans and their families, we thank the community and we thank the Daley Family Fund of the DuPage Foundation. This grant is “icing on the cake” and brings us closer to project completion, slated for Memorial Day.”
Members of the Task Force include Veterans from the Carol Stream VFW and American Legion, Trustees of the Village of Carol Stream, Board Members and staff of the Carol Stream Park District, and many volunteers.
Volunteers – “Helping our neighbors and building our community” – The commitment to bring a variety of quality programs, activities and services was made possible in part by volunteers who gave their time and talents to help. The 2018 Year in Review highlights these efforts. In addition, the Year in Review highlights program, finance, parks and facility projects and successes.
Here’s a letter from Board President, Brian Sokolowski:
Dear Residents:
It is with great pleasure that I share with you the Carol Stream Park District’s 2018 Year in Review. In addition to highlighting the past year’s programs and activities, I wanted to take the time to thank our volunteers. Our success would not have been possible without the hundreds of volunteers who gave their time, experience and efforts to build lifelong memories for our friends and neighbors.
The District provided a wide variety of sport teams and programming for children and adults. McCaslin and Armstrong Parks were home to many in-house recreational leagues as well as tournaments. The District took over concession operations at McCaslin and Coral Cove Water Park in order to offer affordable, improved food. Fountain View Fitness Center continues to shine as the community’s center for health and fitness with 3,300 overall members. Coral Cove Water Park and Coyote Crossing Mini Golf provided hours of family fun for all ages! Special Events like the Daddy Daughter Dance, Boo Fest and Polar Express brought many smiles to our young residents. The “Movie in the Park” event at McCaslin Park brought families together for an evening of fun and relaxation while viewing the ever popular “Sandlot” movie. Our adult residents enjoyed sports leagues, special interest programming and family trips. Our seniors participated in trips and events throughout the year; they traveled as far away as Maine and New Orleans, and also enjoyed local events like the play “Hamilton”, and local casinos. The District’s theatre program tapped into the talents of over 200 youth actors! From preschool programs, to Before and After School Care, to day camp – the District provided fun and learning for our school age residents.
With the support of the Carol Stream Parks Foundation, Village of Carol Stream, VFW, American Legion and many local businesses and sponsors, Town Center will soon be the home to a new Veterans’ Memorial. The Board and staff of the Carol Stream Park District are proud to have worked with our partners to bring much deserving recognition and respect to those who served our country. After years of fundraising, we broke ground last year with a targeted completion date of May 2019. Thank you to all of you who have contributed to this important project.
The Park District takes it fiduciary responsibility very seriously. We continue to work diligently to control expenses, and provide outstanding services. We are fully committed to following our residents’ direction to “take care of what we have”. We appreciate your trust and confidence in our ability to enrich our community by fulfilling our residents’ needs for health, accessible, quality recreation activities, parks and facilities, and to be responsible stewards of our community resources.
It’s been a wonderful and exciting year. With the continued support of our residents and volunteers, the staff and Board look forward to 2019 and all it will bring to our community!
Brian Sokolowski
President
Carol Stream Park District Board of Commissioners
“95% of people polled believe it is important for children to learn how to swim at an early age”
The Carol Stream Park District’s Swim Academy has a variety of swim lessons for all ages, starting at 6 months old through teens and adults. Swimmers are evaluated for swim level placement. Customize a lesson to suit your schedule or get one-on-one private lessons. Excel to the award-winning Dolphins Swim Team! Fountain View Recreation Center indoor pool is open year-round.
The Carol Stream Park District, along with park districts nationwide, refer to the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) for industry articles, information, research and more. We would like to share this article and research from the NRPA.
Park Pulse – The Importance of Learning to Swim at a Young Age
2/6/2019 12:00:00 AM, Department, by National Recreation and Park Association
Each month, through a poll of Americans that is focused on park and recreation issues, NRPA Park Pulse helps tell the park and recreation story. Questions span from the serious to the more lighthearted. In this month’s poll we asked the public, how important is it for children to learn how to swim at an early age.
More than 9 in 10 Americans (95 percent) believe it is important for children to learn how to swim at an early age.
In fact, people of all ages agree it’s important for young children to learn how to swim:
97 % of Baby Boomers
95% of Gen Xers
93% of Millennials
Parks and recreation is a leading provider of low-cost swimming lessons. Nearly 70 percent of agencies nationwide provide aquatics programming, including learn-to-swim lessons and water safety programs for children and adults.
Research shows risk of drowning can be reduced by 88 percent if children participate in formal swimming lessons between ages 1–4. Swimming is a vital life-saving skill that every child should learn.
The National Recreation and Park Association survey was conducted by Wakefield Research (www.wakefieldresearch.com) among 1,003 U.S. adults ages 18+, December 10-14, 2018, using an email invitation and an online survey. Quotas have been set to ensure reliable and accurate representation of the U.S. adult population 18 and older.
Think Spring! Budding trees, sunny skies, baseball!
Get Fit, take a trip, meet the Bunny!
So many things to do!
Resident registration begins March 1 at csparks.org or in person; nonresident March 8.
Guides should arrive resident homes around Feb 26 or after.
Start spring with the Fit-Nut Fest on March 9 to kick-start your workout routine, or try a Personal Training Starter 3-Pack. Start thinking about the Bike Club, Coral Cove Water Park, Coyote Crossing Mini Golf. We have sports, sports and more sports! Adults and kids can learn how to swim at our new Swim Academy. Working parents may want to start thinking about the summer – Awesome Adventure Camp! The Forever Young crew is taking a trip to Niagara Falls! So many things to do!
Start planning your child’s birthday party with one of our themed parties or have a Splash Bash at Coral Cove Water Park! Fountain View Recreation Center is home to beautiful multi-purpose rooms to rent for graduation parties, wedding receptions – you name it! Picnic shelters are popular for family, neighborhood parties or sporting events, and we have eight shelters you can choose from to rent.
We have something for everyone!
$2,500 Donation to Veterans Memorial Plaza project
The community continues to support Veterans Memorial Plaza. Resident and previous youth sports coach for the Carol Stream Park District Damian Bierman, president of TWIN BROS Paving & Concrete, presented a $2,500 check to the Veterans Memorial Task Force. Damian, whose father served as a marine, was happy to contribute to this project and meet the veterans. Thank you Damian for your generous donation.
Pictured from left to right are:
Jackie Jeffery, Carol Stream Park District Commissioner
Jim Benzin, VFW Commander Post 10396
Rich Hildenbrand, Veteran
Rick Gieser, Carol Stream Village Trustee
Lenny Aiello, Veteran
Damian Bierman, Twin Brothers Paving & Concrete
Mike Mero, Veteran
Lou Lingwai, Veteran
