Park District of Oak Park

5 www.pdop.org In Our Parks Scholarship Program Continues to Flourish e Park District utilizes monies collected through non-resident fees as well as funds provided by the Oak Park Township to award scholarships for residents of all ages. Eligible recipients can receive scholarship awards to cover up to 75% of program and pass fees. is program has grown significantly over the past six years with $9,947 utilized for scholarships in 2012 as compared to $65,316 in 2017. See below for scholarship information Scholarship funds are available for all ages Scholarship funds for all ages are available to assist low-income individuals and families in participating in Park District of Oak Park programs. ese funds are provided by the Park District of Oak Park and by the Oak Park Township. For more information or to print an application, please visit www.pdop.org/ scholarships. Key Scholarship program details include: • Oak Park residency is required as well as meeting financial requirements • Funding for up to 75% of program fees • Funding limits are by family member *Please view the online Scholarship Application for details. Scholarship applicants must provide all information requested on the Scholarship Application and pay the approved but reduced amount of program fees. Please contact Customer Service at (708) 725-2000 if you have questions regarding the application process. Please allow up to one week for processing once you have submitted the Scholarship Application and supporting documentation. Note: Scholarship funds are not retroactively applied to registrations done prior. Forms are available online at www.pdop.org/scholarships. Once approved, any unused funds from the 2018 scholarship year do not carry over to 2019. Government Finance Officer's Budget Award For the ninth straight year, the Park District of Oak Park has received the Government Finance Officer's Budget Award. e GFOA Award reflects the commitment of the Park District Board and Staff to meet the highest principles of governmental budgeting. Thanks to You We Met Our $100,000 Goal ank you to the 1000+ Oak Park residents who made pledges identifying actions you and your family will take to make our community more sustainable such as converting lawns to gardens, planting pollinators, hosting a green block party and more. With each pledge Green Mountain Energy Sun Club donated $100 to the Park District to complete sustainability projects at the Oak Park Conservatory. is fall, solar panels are being installed at the conservatory as well as a water harvesting system and a tea composting unit. Observable working honeybee hives will be available at the conservatory in the spring. ese efforts complement the many other Park District efforts to care for our environment and reduce energy costs. Rehm Pool Improvements e sand play area at Rehm Pool will be replaced with a water play area when the pool opens for the 2019 season. is improvement eliminates the problem with sand in the pool filter and provides an exciting new play feature for our younger audience. Best of the Best Green Practices Award For the third year in a row, the Park District of Oak Park was the recipient of the Illinois Association of Park District's Best Green Practices Award. Sustainability is engraved throughout the Park District, and we have made significant strides over the last few years to lessen our impact on the environment. ese efforts include the installation of LED lighting in all community centers, comfort stations, Rehm Pool and all three historic properties with funding provided by a ComEd grant. ese improvements have resulted in an annual cost savings of $12,250. Smart thermostats were installed at all community centers to conserve energy, and the Park District is looking to use this technology for outdoor lighting timers in the future. In our effort to manage storm water, a new rain garden was part of the Euclid Square Park renovation project. A cistern was installed at Field Park re-using water from the splash pad for field irrigation for an annual savings of nearly $30,000. Volunteers oversaw recycling and composting efforts at all 11 summer concerts, and we partnered with Festival eatre in Austin Gardens to promote our "Carry In, Carry Out" program during all 48 Festival eatre performances. For all of these sustainable practices and more, the Park District has been recognized throughout the State of Illinois as a leader in sustainability. Our Lifeguards Earn Platinum Award e Park District of Oak Park was recently awarded the 2018 Platinum International Safety Award for achieving the highest quality lifeguard professionalism and operational standards from Jeff Ellis & Associates, Inc. – International Aquatic Safety and Risk Management Consultants. Only 16% of aquatic facilities in the Ellis & Associates Program earn this distinction by demonstrating aquatic facility operations that consistently exceed industry standards in risk management. irty solar panels were installed on the roof of Fox Center as part of the Park District's mission to be a leader in sustainability efforts.

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