Assignment 2 TWO 2

PALATINE PARK DISTRICT
Palatine, Illinois

Benefits:

Many of us were involved in sports, clubs, attended festivals or music programs, played at the local parks or swimming pools growing up, and now that we are older, we have begun to realize that the park district was and currently is the backbone to a successful community. The Palatine Park District, similar to park districts across the country, has a vision for providing safe, pleasant and affordable parks and recreation facilities for the Palatine community. Since the park district is a public agency, it hopes to enhance the quality of life by promoting healthy habits and well-being for residents in the community. The Palatine Park District has grown tremendously and has brought many leisure activities into the area. An example of the expansion on the park district was in 1994, a non-profit organization, The Palatine Park Foundation, was formed to help the Palatine Park District in continuing commitments of service to the community.

Background on the park district:

I met with one of the Palatine Park District Registrar Office employees. We will call her Susie Q. (to stay on the safe side of the Internet world). Susie Q. gave me the inside scoop how the park district is run, the events, activities and employment opportunities that are given through the park district. Susie Q. has been a park district employee for 5 years and explained it is a great part-time job, giving her time to also run a family owned sewing business out of her home. Her job entails working with resident questions and concerns, visitors and is a member of the park district team with other park district employees. Her favorite part of her job is primarily meeting residents of the community and in a sense “bragging” about what the park district has to offer. Susie Q. tells me that the new fitness area and the music amphitheater are the top favorites by residents in the Palatine area.

Employment:

The list of employment opportunities through the Palatine Park District is endless. I have first hand experience since I am a park district employee during the summers as a lifeguard and coach. There are full-time, part-time and volunteer opportunities. Some of the full-time and part-time jobs include fitness instructors, coaches, and teachers. Examples of volunteer programs are theater ushers, special event planning, and tutors. There are many facilities through the park district, which makes job opportunities more available, from swiping member passes to being a receptionist or a superintendent, looking over a large variety of the programs offered.

Current trends and information:

As said before, there are several facilities that form the park district and several favorites that the community is very proud to have, including:

• sport fields

  

• forty-nine parks
• four public pools
• frisbee disc golf course
• a dog park
• stables
• skate park
• forest preserve trails
• golf course

Along with those specific outdoor recreational options, the park district provides places for theater and music including Cutting Hall and the Fred P. Hall Amphitheater (picture to the left). All of these parts of the park district bring an environment that is natural, enjoyable and available for residents and visitors. The Palatine Park District webpage provides a calendar of upcoming events and where they are located. Having the accessibility to such facilities lets residents and non-residents become involved in the programming. The lists seem endless with the amount of variety brought to the table for people of all ages. Programs related to arts & crafts, athletics, camps, dance, fitness, gymnastics, performing arts, and swim team are all provided. The Palatine Park District provides residents with a catalog informing the community of when and where programs are located at an affordable cost. Fall, spring, winter and summer catalogs are available to keep residents of the community involved.

Synopsis:

Families play at the parks, swim at the pools, enroll themselves in sports, exercise programs, even tutor programs within their communities. The opportunities that the Palatine Park District offers to the community are abundant and continue to grow. Employment opportunities are available and reasonable. The facilities are kept modern, clean and available to residents of the community. Susie Q. recognizably found her job to be a positive one. She enjoys serving the public and personally as a park district employee do too. When I meet the people of the community, work with friends from the community while getting a pay check makes the park district leisure employment. So, whether it is a music festival, a walk down the trails or throwing the frisbee disc, the park district provides public leisure for individuals and families. The Palatine Park District has a mission and stands by it.