Fox Valley Park District

🎉 Congratulations to our lifeguards on their excellence this summer! During unannounced seasonal audits, Splash Country Water Park received 2 exceeds, and Phillips Park Family Aquatic Center received 2 exceeds and 1 meets. Thank you to all of our lifeguards who helped keep our community safe this summer! Are you interested in water safety? Consider becoming a lifeguard with the Fox Valley Park District next summer!

After spending childhood summers at FVPD camps, some teens choose to become camp counselors themselves. Camp counselors gain experience in the parks & recreation field, along with building their leadership skills in these important mentoring roles. Read more about this growing camp-to-counselor group: bit.ly/4dwXsmN

That’s a wrap on National Park and Recreation month! We hope you’ve been inspired to get involved with the park district, whether it is checking out a new park, attending a special event, or taking a class. Learn more about ways to get involved on our website (foxvalleyparkdistrict.org) or flip through our latest adventure playbook: bit.ly/3xYm1cH National Recreation and Park Association #WhereYouBelong

Local park and recreation agencies play a vital role in the protection of our environment through green infrastructure, maintenance of public lands, preserving wildlife habitats and more. Local parks and nature centers also create essential environmental stewards who advocate for and protect our most precious public resources — our land, water, trees, open spaces and wildlife. With programs and activities at Red Oak Nature Center, we are connecting more community members with the outdoors every day! At Red Oak, you can explore the Chicagoland area’s only known cave, explore one of our six hiking trails, see Fox River wildlife up close, and take in views of the river on our Observation Deck. Learn more about Red Oak Nature Center: redoaknaturecenter.info National Recreation and Park Association #WhereYouBelong #ParksandRecMonth24

Park districts provide spaces for enjoyable movement that can have a positive impact on your physical and mental health. Here at FVPD, that goes for indoors and out, no matter whether you work out at one of our four Fox Fitness locations or get your steps in at a park or on a trail. At Simmons Park on Aurora’s east side, residents can take their workout to the next level with a state-of-the-art Fitness Court, installed in fall of 2022. Free and accessible to all, the Fitness Court allows individuals to use their own body weight to get a complete workout using seven exercise stations. Created with people aged 14 and over – and with all abilities – in mind, the workouts are adaptable for all fitness levels, allowing participants to move at their own pace. The Fitness Court is a collaborative venture with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois (BCBSIL), the Fox Valley Park District, and National Fitness Campaign. Stop by Simmons Park at 1191 E. Indian Trail to give it a go! National Recreation and Park Association #WhereYouBelong #ParkandRecMonth #ParkandRecMonth24

On National Park and Recreation Professionals Day, we’re celebrating our staff that consistently go above and beyond to serve our community with fun, diverse, and safe park and recreation experiences. If you’re interested in a career in Parks and Recreation, check out our Employment page and browse our open opportunities: bit.ly/FVPDteam #ParksandRecreation #FoxValleyParkDistrict #ParkDistrict

When people see themselves reflected in a park — their cultures, languages, identities —they come back. That’s when the connection moves beyond an initial introduction and into a sense of belonging. Developed in 2020, the playground at Hope D. Wall School on Aurora's West Side aims to do just that. The expansive play area represents a state-of-the-art, ADA-accessible amenity that provides recreation and play opportunities for members in the community with special needs. The park serves Hope Wall students first, and is open to the community on evenings and weekends. National Recreation and Park Association #WhereYouBelong #ParkandRecMonth #ParkandRecMonth24

Providing access to parks and recreational opportunities for all members of our diverse communities is an ongoing commitment by the Fox Valley Park District. This July, we are celebrating the people, spaces and programs that create a sense of belonging for our residents. Join us and National Recreation and Park Association as we uplift #WhereYouBelong! #ParkandRecMonth #ParkandRecMonth24 

On Tuesday, we held our Summer IMRF Staff Meeting at Blackberry Farm! Executive Director Jen Paprocki shared exciting updates about the park district's growth, followed by a hands-on, Amazing-Race-style safety training. There was friendly competition, fun costumes, and prizes for the winning teams. It was a great day of building community, celebrating our accomplishments, and continuing to grow our safety skills.

Fox Valley Park District employees and volunteers, along with friends and family, were proud to walk in the Pride Parade in downtown Aurora on June 9!