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To:
Board of Commissioners
From:  Ben Nelson, Superintendent of Recreation
Date:  September 8th, 2026
Re:
Recreation Department – August Monthly Report

Fall is right around the corner, and
programs such as the Before-and-After
School Program and Keppler Learning
Center are back in full swing! Summer
Camp wrapped up on August 21st, with a
total of 246 campers participating in the
Camp Keppler and Camp WeGo
programs throughout the summer. August highlights
included a reptile show, field day, and a trip to Funway Entertainment Center.

Turtle Splash Water Park closed for the season on August 23rd following another successful
summer, welcoming more than 25,000 visitors throughout the season. Turtle Splash staff
received their third and final unannounced audit of the season conducted by StarGuard Elite,
earning an overall 4-Star score. The annual Middle School Pool Party was held on August 1st
with a total of 112 attendees. Additionally, for the first time since COVID, Turtle Splash
extended its season by remaining open for two post-season weekends on August 15th/16th
and 22nd/23rd.

During the month of August, the ARC Center hosted 20 Birthday Parties and 15 Event Room
Rentals, generating $5,277 and $10,675 in revenue respectively. Pavilion Rentals have
concluded for the season with a total of 68 reservations being held from May through August.

Current Memberships: 1,238
(Individual: 313; Senior: 16; Youth: 11; Track: 92; Medicare: 322; Corporate: 82; Other: 402)

This month’s Fitness Challenge encouraged members to explore the
ARC Center’s Group Fitness program. Members who completed
eight classes throughout the month were entered into a raffle to win
a prize.

Staff represented the Park District at several community events
throughout August. On August 4th, staff attended National Night Out, hosted by the West
Chicago Police Department at Reed-Keppler Park and concluded with a movie at The Shell. Staff
also participated in the annual Back-to-School Event held at Cantigny Park by WeGo Together for
Kids on August 10th. Both events provided valuable opportunities to connect with community
members while promoting upcoming Park District programs, events, and facilities.

The Fall Program Guide was delivered to West Chicago households during the
first week of August. To better meet the needs of our diverse community, a
Spanish version of the guide is now also available on our website. This season’s
guide features seasonal favorites such as Boo Bash, Spooky Trail, and the
Firefighter Fish Fry Luncheon as well as new offerings including the ‘Forever Young’
Senior Prom, ARC After Dark, and Mini Monster Mash. Registration for Fall 2026
programs began on August 1st for residents and August 8th for non-residents.

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New copiers were delivered and installed at the end of August as part of our transition to Next
Day Plus as our new copier vendor. The new agreement replaced the existing copier at the ARC
Center with two Xerox machines (one at the ARC Center and one at the Dyer Parks Facility) that
better support the operational needs of both locations while saving the Park District
approximately $130 per month. Next Day Plus was extremely helpful throughout the transition,
and both machines have been working well since installation.

Looking ahead, the final Summer at the Shell event of the season,
Battle of the Bands, will be held on Saturday, September 19th. The
event was originally scheduled for August but was postponed due
to inclement weather. The Parks Foundation will also host its
annual Disc Golf Tournament on Saturday, September 12th at
Kress Creek Farms Park. Hope to see you there!


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