The fun doesn’t stop when the temperature drops! We have exciting wintertime activities to do with the kiddos.
Every other Wed at 10-11am Heller Nature Center
Enjoy a story with a naturalist, then take a short hike and engage in a hands-on nature-inspired craft to take home.
Every Tues & Thurs at 10:30am-12:30pm • Recreation Center of Highland Park
Get out of the house and give your little ones room to play on our beautiful basketball courts! We provide balls, scooters, and lots of other fun equipment for kids to enjoy. This is a drop-in program, pay at the Rec Center front desk.
$7/9 (resident/non-resident), KidsClub Members Wiggle for Free!
West Ridge Center
Our jungle-themed indoor playground is the perfect setting for your active child to run, climb, and play! Whether you’re planning a birthday party or a special playdate, Jammin’ Jungle can accommodate up to 30 people.
For more information, contact Debbie Pierce at [email protected] or (847) 579-4047.
Recreation Center of Highland Park
“Parent & Tot Water Readiness” is a class designed to help you and your child enjoy the water through activities and songs.
Registration begins Wed., Feb 15 at 7am
ParkSchool is a fresh concept in early childhood education that combines modern education methods with the expertise in recreation and access to the natural world that only the Park District can provide. Our educational staff and recreational professionals deliver a new level of STREAM (science, technology, recreation, engineering, art, and math) for young learners, with the goal of preparing them for success in kindergarten.
Daily 9am-9pm (rink is lit by existing park lighting) • Sunset Woods Park
When weather conditions allow (an average temperature of 20 degrees Fahrenheit or colder for 5 consecutive days, 5-6 inches of ground frost), park district staff will begin flooding the ice rink. It takes four 24-hour days to spray and freeze the water to create a base and finish ice.
Throughout the season, the rink may be closed for snow removal or unsafe ice conditions.
Skating is free and the rink is sectioned off to allow for separate hockey and recreational skating. Groups should be considerate of one another. For the safety of our patrons, helmets are required in the hockey rink.
There is no supervision or skate rental at the outdoor rink. Anyone using the ice rink should be aware that the risk of injury is present. The Park District encourages everyone to participate in this activity in a safe manner and suggests that children be supervised by a responsible adult.
Free
Daily from dawn to dusk • Danny Cunniff Park
Nothing says “winter fun” like sledding! The sled hill at Cunniff Park is free and open to the public. Please be aware that there is no supervision or warming facility at the sled hill.
Free
Sat & Sun at 12:30-5:30pm • Recreation Center of Highland Park
No matter the season, there’s an indoor pool for you to jump into at the Rec Center! Splash around with the whole family during weekend open swim hours.
Calling all baseball players—step up to the plate with hitting coach Dan Puente from the 2022 Minor League Champion South Bend Cubs!
Here’s your chance to get hitting advice from a pro, and get your swing in shape in time for spring training. The Park District of Highland Park is hosting a Hitting Clinic on Sunday, January 22 in the gym at West Ridge Center. Dan Puente—yes, the guy who coached our 2015 Travel Baseball League—is coming back to talk baseball with all of you local players.
This is a hands-on clinic where Dan will dive deep into the fundamentals of hitting and provide lots of pro tips on how you can get better. Bring your gear and be prepared to learn about proper mechanics, timing, what your in-game approach to hitting should be, and much more. “I’m excited to have the privilege of working with these young players to help them develop their hitting skills and get ready for the baseball season”, said Puente.
Dan is donating the proceeds from this clinic to the Fields for our Future fundraising campaign that will provide approximately ½ acre of synthetic turf for the ballfield at Larry Fink Memorial Park. The campaign was started by the Giants Athletic Boosters, which is affiliated with the Parks Foundation of Highland Park, with the goal of raising the 1.7 million dollars needed to install the new turf by April, 2024. Over the next ten years that turf will provide 28,000 hours of playable time—20,000 hours more than natural grass. “Having a state-of-the-art turf field will give these young ballplayers lots of additional practice time, and the opportunity to play many more games each year”, said Puente. “It not only helps keep kids interested in the sport, but also gives them a great sense of pride in their community. I’m grateful to be a part of making that happen.”
Athletics Manager, Mike Divincenzo, said “Everyday is an opportunity to get better. What could be better than to learn from a professional!”
Don’t miss this chance to meet and work with Dan Puente. No matter what your skill level, you’re sure to improve your swing, and increase your overall knowledge of the game.
When: Sunday, January 22
Where: West Ridge Center Gym
Ages 8u–10u, 10–11:45am
Ages 11u–14u, 12:30–2:15pm
Connect with the South Bend Cubs
The Park District is partnering with Fill a Heart 4 Kids to help local homeless and at-risk youth stay nourished through the Thanksgiving school break. Food donations will be accepted Tuesday, Nov 1- Sunday, Nov 13 at the following locations :
Recreation Center of Highland Park
1207 Park Avenue W.
Lincoln School
711 Lincoln Ave W.
Deer Creek Racquet Club
701 Deer Creek Pkwy.
Highland Park City Hall
1707 St. Johns Ave.
West Ridge Center
636 Ridge Rd.
Public Works/Services Facility
1150 Half Day Rd.
Highland Park Senior Center
1201 Park Avenue W.
Items Needed:
Mon Nov 14 • 1-6:30pm
West Ridge Center • 636 Ridge Rd.
Multiple time slots available
The Parks Foundation of Highland Park has received a grant from the Highland Park Community Foundation. These funds will support the Park Foundation’s “Foundation For Youth” (FYI) Scholarship Program. FYI offers Highwood residents of lesser financial means the opportunity to participate in recreational programs, including swimming lessons and summer camps.
Though the Highwood families attend the same schools as Highland Park residents, Highwood is not within the tax-body bounds of the Park District of Highland Park, and residents cannot take advantage of the Park District’s resident scholarship program. Highwood also does not have a park district, and the City of Highwood offers limited recreational programs for residents.
The Park’s Foundation FYI Scholarship Program was introduced in 2019 and currently funds approximately 100 learn-to-swim lessons for low-income Highwood children. FYI summer camp scholarships were also made available to Highwood residents with financial constraints during the COVID-19 pandemic. For families facing increased financial hardship due to the pandemic, recreational activities are often the first expenses cut out of a household budget. At the same time, outlets for exercise and enrichment are more critical than ever in promoting physical, social, and emotional health. Further, the need for greater equity and inclusiveness motivates a primary organizational goal of the Parks Foundation to boost funding so that more Highwood residents may enjoy access to Park District programs. The FYI Scholarship program reaches low-income preschool and school-aged children, predominantly Latino Highwood residents.
“The Parks Foundation is grateful for the Highland Park Community Foundation’s generous support for our FYI Scholarship program. Highwood is an important part of our community – our children go to school together,” says Rafael Labrador, the Parks Foundation Board of Directors president. “FYI helps level the playing field for Highwood families.”
About the Parks Foundation of Highland Park: The Parks Foundation of Highland Park is an independent, community-led, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established in 2016 to support access to the world-class Park District programs and facilities that enhance community life in Highland Park. Since its inception, the Foundation has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars in grants and donations that help keep taxes and program fees in check and bridge the gap between public resources and the funding needed to maintain our vibrant park system. We are committed to providing the resources for everyone in our community to participate in a wide variety of Park District offerings. Scholarship funds raised by the Foundation have allowed Highland Park/Highwood residents of all ages to enjoy athletic and recreational programs and summer camps. In cooperation with government entities, private enterprises, nonprofit partner organizations, and local families, we enrich current and future generations by supporting the open space and recreational programs that bring our community together. For more information and to donate, visit pfhpil.org.
About Highland Park Community Foundation: The Highland Park Community Foundation was established in 1992 at the request of the City of Highland Park to build and maintain a permanent endowment fund. As the philanthropic heart of the community, the HPCF improves and enriches people’s lives with annual grants to nonprofits that provide educational, human service, and cultural programs for Highland Park and Highwood residents. The Foundation’s avowed purposes are to expand opportunities and address the unmet needs of the community – needs that are not met by governmental or other sources.
The Highland Park Community Foundation annually awards grants though a competitive application and review process. For more information, visit hpcfil.org.
The National Parks & Recreation Association (NRPA) and The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation have awarded the Park District of Highland Park a $600 pack of supplies to help the Park District establish additional pollinator habitats at The Preserve of Highland Park. The award is part of NRPA & Scotts “Parks for Pollinators” national campaign to raise public awareness of the pollinator crisis and encourage local action through public parks and recreation.
As participants in the campaign, Park District staff and volunteers successfully documented a variety of pollinators throughout September at The Preserve. They demonstrated the significance of the newly created habitat at The Preserve and all of the pollinators it supports.
Findings included:
“This information will help us understand how we can better protect pollinators and other important wildlife in our community,” said Elizabeth Ricketts, Natural Areas Program Volunteer Coordinator. Learn more about The Preserve of Highland Park.
Join Us for our First Día de los Muertos Celebration!
Sat., Nov 5 • 1–4pm
West Ridge Center • 636 Ridge Road
(Event was originally located at The Preserve of Highland Park but will be held at West Ridge Center due to weather)
FREE Event! Honoring Our Past, Celebrating Our Future, and Bridging Our Communities!
And help start a Highland Park – Highwood tradition!
Lots of delicious food from a variety of vendors will be available to purchase. We will have a community ofrenda/altar; if you wish to have a picture on our altar, please bring a photo with you or contact Jessica Reyes at [email protected]. We look forward to celebrating with all of you!
The roots of Día de los Muertos, the Day of the Dead, go back more than 3,000 years in Europe, Spain, and to the Aztecs who lived in rural, indigenous areas of what is now central Mexico. In Europe, celebrations of the harvest took place in the fall, and the rituals were adopted as part of two Roman Catholic holidays—All Saints Day and All Souls Day—celebrated on the first two days of November. The cycle of life and death are entwined with the annual cycle of crops that grow from the ground where the remnants of the last harvest have been turned under and nurture the soil.
On Día de los Muertos, the border separating the real world from the spirit world dissolves, and the souls of the dead awaken, returning to eat and drink, dance, and play music with their family and friends. The living honor the deceased as guests in the celebrations. They prepare their favorite foods and leave them as offerings on the ofrendas (alters) built in their homes, as well as at gravesites. Ofrendas are decorated with candles to light the path back to the living. Brightly colored marigolds—called cempasuchil—are spread on the alter to guide the souls with their enticing fragrance. You should wish someone a happy day by saying, “Feliz día de los Muertos.”
1. El Día de los Muertos is not, as is commonly thought, a Mexican version of Halloween although the holidays do share traditions, including wearing costumes and marching in parades.
2. Calaveras, or skulls, are a unique symbol of Día de los Muertos. Elaborately decorated ceramic and papier-mâché skulls are worn throughout the festivities. Sugar skulls that are decorated with colored icing, (and often feathers and foil) are placed on offrendas. Simple sugar skulls, with just icing, are eaten and enjoyed by children of all ages. The famous La Calavera Cantina (the Elegant Skull) was created as a political statement by Mexican printmaker Jose Guadalupe Posada in 1910. Her fancy dress and hat, along with her white makeup, have been an integral part of the holiday ever since.
3. The ofrenda has always been an important part of the celebration, and today the alter is perhaps the most recognized symbol of Día de los Muertos. It is a way for families to honor their loved ones and provide them what they need on their journey from the spirit world. An ofrenda must include the four elements: Earth, Wind, Fire and Water. Bread is used to represent Earth. Wind is represented by traditional paper banners, called Papel picado. Candles light the way and can be placed in the form of a cross, which indicates the cardinal directions. Water is often presented in a pitcher, so the spirits can quench their thirst. if you wish to have a picture on our altar, please bring a photo with you or contact Jessica Reyes at [email protected].
4. Monarch butterflies play a unique role in celebrations of Día de los Muertos because they hold the spirits of the departed. This lovely thought is tied to the arrival of the first monarchs in Mexico each fall, at the start of the holiday on Nov. 1.
5. The Día de los Muertos celebration spans two days: All Saints Day, Nov. 1, is the day to remember children who have passed. All Soul’s Day, Nov. 2, is the day when we honor adults.
6. Dessert! It’s what so many people look forward to during the celebrations. Pastries and sweets are central to the holiday, and one of the most loved is Pan de Muertos, a sweet, delicious bread, coated in sugar, and decorated to look like a pile of bones.
7. Día de los Muertos is not a somber occasion… it’s a joyous holiday and a celebration of life! It’s bright and colorful, with parties, music, dancing, and decorations everywhere you look. Classic Mexican traditions include calaveritas (short, humorous poems) that are a clever way to talk about, and poke fun at, difficult topics—like the Grim Reaper!
In support of the Highland Park community that has been through so much this past summer, the Wadsworth Golf Charities Foundation is underwriting a full day of golf for Highland Park residents at the Sunset Valley Golf Club on Wednesday, October 12.
Includes an 18-hole round and a golf cart (carts are limited and available on a first-come basis).
Book your tee time now.
Click the Wadsworth Golf Outing button.
(Please show your ID at check-in)
Crews are removing the flagstone path and retaining walls and began stabilization work at the toe of the slope. The boardwalk sections are being fabricated offsite. Additional equipment and materials will be delivered over the next several days. Once received, on-site work will resume.
Work continues to remove the existing barge breakwater in preparation for the installation of the new breakwater and boat ramp.
About the Project
At the April 27 meeting, the Park Board approved construction of Phase 1 of the Park Avenue Breakwater Project in the amount of $2,221,890. The base scope of this project includes removal of the existing barge breakwater and boat ramp, stockpiling and salvaging existing breakwater fill and armor stone, construction of a new steel sheet pile breakwater with a concrete crown wall and construction of a new concrete boat launch. Funding for the project includes $2,000,000 from the Park District’s capital fund and $400,000 from the Parks Foundation of Highland Park, made possible from community donations. Construction began as scheduled on Sept 6, 2022. Learn more.
Demolition of the rink floor and concrete trench have been completed. Installation of under-floor drainage will begin soon.
About the Project
Centennial Ice Arena is temporarily closed, and ice programs will not be offered in Fall 2022 due to an unexpected and necessary replacement of the rink floor.
An unknown issue was uncovered on the rink floor during our regular annual maintenance in June. Since then, the Park District has acted swiftly to conduct an exhaustive investigation of the facility and ice flooring system with an engineering firm. The findings confirmed that the building is structurally sound. However, the rink floor has been compromised and will require complete replacement. Learn more.
