District News
Sunnyside Park Renovation
Sunnyside Park, 291 Glen Ellyn Road in Bloomingdale, will undergo a complete renovation of its playground structure, becoming fully-accessible for children of all abilities, ages 2-12 years.
The Park District received a $43,404 grant from Little Tikes to assist in building the playground structures. The renovation is scheduled to begin in mid-May with a targeted date of completion late-June to early-July.
"The Board of Commissioners and staff of the Bloomingdale Park District are ecstatic about the opportunity to bring an accessible playground to our community to serve children of ALL abilities," said Bloomingdale Park District Executive Director Carrie Fullerton. "Resident children with physical and sensory special needs will be able to have fun right here in their own community!"
For more information on the park project, click here or call the Park District at (630) 529-3650. Executive Director Carrie A. Fullerton, CPRP and Director of Parks & Planning Joe Potts are the contacts for the project.
BPD: Where the Customer is No. 1
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| JRC Front Desk Staff |
"Where Recreation Revolves Around You!" is the official slogan of the Bloomingdale Park District. And central to that slogan is the customer. How the Park District interacts with each and every guest immensely impacts its business. When patrons are pleased with their experience, they'll visit the Park District again, become loyal, spread the good word and keep the District on track with providing service that meets and exceeds expectations.
Customer Service Policies
Customer service at the Park District begins with every full-time, part-time and/or seasonal worker attending the employee introduction program, Park Works U.
In addition to welcoming workers and providing an overview, Park Works U familiarizes staff with important policies and procedures and shares the customer service policy. It also introduces workers to Character Counts!, the nation's most widely-used character development framework. It is based on shared beliefs and consensus values called the Six Pillars of Character: Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibility, Fairness, Caring and Citizenship.
Rewarding Outstanding Service
Staff is the key to providing courteous service and deserves recognition when doing so. Employees who regularly practice exceptional customer service are rewarded via the District's High Five program. When an employee observes a co-worker doing something exceptional on the job, he/she can fill out a High Five card indicating who they observed and what they were doing. Prizes are then awarded monthly, not only to the employee exhibiting outstanding service, but also to the person nominating for recognizing such service. Additionally, winners and nominations are displayed inside the Johnston Recreation Center for all to see.
Another Park District program that recognizes employees who've gone the extra mile or made additional efforts to provide great customer service and/or sacrifice is the M&M Awards. M&M stands for meaningful and memorable. These awards are presented by department heads and the executive director. They are meant to reward creativity, dedication, innovation and/or all-around enthusiasm at the Park District.
Customer Service Task Force
A fairly recent development at the BPD is the creation of the Customer Service Task Force (CSTF), which is committed to continually evaluating patrons' experiences. Comprised of full-time staff, the CSTF also reaches out to the community via local health fairs, business expos, special events, etc. You might see CSTF representatives greeting day campers and their parents on the first day of camp, promoting the latest program or event at Stratford Square Mall, or simply asking patrons about their customer experience.
Rewarding Customers
Lastly, and most importantly, the Park District rewards its customers. The aptly-named RecRewards program earns participants point while they play. The more they play, the more they earn. Participants earn one point for every dollar spent. Points do not expire and accrual of points is continuous. In addition to RecRewards, the District also offers a senior discount, early registration bonuses and double RecRewards points for certain programs.
The Park District continually seeks ways to improve the customer experience. Have an idea? Drop us a note at staff1@bloomingdaleparks.org, call us at (630) 529-3650 or simply stop by and see us at the Johnston Recreation Center.
BPD to add accessible fishing pier at Westlake Park
The Bloomingdale Park District recently announced plans to restore a historic park element at Westlake Park, 307 Edgewater Drive in Bloomingdale, as part of the Park District's Americans with Disabilities Act Transition Plan.
Historic aerial photographs of the park show a pier on the south end of the lake.
A modern, fully-accessible version of this pier will be constructed this spring/summer.
The beauty of the modern version is its accessibility from the existing paved path and parking lot off of Edgewater Drive. This access brings park patrons of all abilities closer to the water, closer to the waterfowl and wildlife of the lake's ecosystem, and closer to the great, natural sanctuary that is Westlake Park.
The project includes:
• Wetland delineation to ensure all natural systems are restored to their original quality or better when the project is complete. Wetland delineation may begin anytime once snow thaws and the ground is visible.
• Planning, surveying and engineering to be completed between now and spring.
• Once the planning work is complete, the job will be bid out and awarded to a capable contractor for completion by mid- to late-summer.
• Brusseau Design Group is working with the Park District to provide planning and supervision.
The Bloomingdale Park District values its parks and 160+ acres of open space and is dedicated to making Westlake Park one of the finest in DuPage County.
Questions or comments can be forwarded to Bloomingdale Park District Executive Director Carrie Fullerton or Director of Parks and Planning Joe Potts. Both may be reached at (630) 529-3650.
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