Elmhurst Park District updates on COVID-19

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June 25 Update - Phase 4: Revitalization

As always, the health, safety, and well-being of the community is our priority, and the District continues to provide access to parks and facilities according to the State of Illinois Restore Illinois Plan and the Governor’s Stay at Home Orders. Throughout the quarantine, District parks and trails remained open so that people could enjoy the mental and physical health benefits these spaces provide. During Phase 3 of the Plan, the District was able to reopen tennis courts and offer outdoor fitness classes at Courts Plus and Day Camp 2020.

As our region moves to Phase 4: Revitalization on Friday, June 26 under the Restore Illinois Plan, we are excited to announce a number of other openings throughout the District.

Friday, June 26

Sand volleyball, roller hockey, and futsal courts will reopen.
Basketball courts will begin to reopen on Friday, and staff anticipates that all hoops will be back up by Friday, July 3.
Wilder Park Conservatory will reopen with restrictions such as one group in at a time.
The Park District Administrative Office at 375 W. First St. will reopen.

Saturday, July 4

The batting cages and miniature golf will reopen at The Hub along with limited concession items. To celebrate the reopening, both will be free on July 4th!

Other Phase 4 Updates

Courts Plus staff is putting together a reopening plan and will be communicating more details with members in the coming days. The tentative reopening date is targeted for early July as staff can now prepare the facility for the modifications required for social distancing and occupancy limits, in addition to recalling staff from furlough and conducting in-depth training regarding the stringent cleaning and disinfection guidelines put in place for Phase 4. Information will soon be posted to the website at courtsplus.com, on the Courts Plus Facebook page and via Constant Contact directly to members. We appreciate your patience as we navigate the new restrictions and prepare for a safe reopening.
Wilder Mansion will reopen with strict guidelines. Additional details will be released soon.
Movie in the Park will be held on Friday, July 10 in Wilder Park with a showing of The Secret Life of Pets 2 in partnership with the Elmhurst Public Library. Due to capacity limits, reservations will be required. More details will be posted at epd.org and on the District’s Facebook page in the coming days.
Picnic shelters will open and permit requests will be accepted for rentals up to 50 people. Groups above that size will not be considered based on Phase 4 guidelines.

Other items to note

Playgrounds and water fountains will remain closed per the Governor’s Executive Order, however, staff will continue to await guidance on when they will reopen and communicate that to residents.
Staff is awaiting guidance on the sprayground at The Hub and is hopeful to reopen later in Phase 4.

The Park District continues to review guidelines to determine the best way to safely serve the community while fulfilling our mission of Enriching lives while having fun! We look forward to seeing you once again at the courts, fields, playgrounds and programs.May 28 Update - Phase 3 reopening update

In accordance with the State of Illinois’ Restore Illinois Plan, staff continues to plan for the return of programming and reopening of facilities as detailed in Phase 3-Recovery, which is set to begin Friday, May 29. We continue to monitor the progress as we move through these phases, and we are prepared to adjust our plan as we get closer to Phase 4-Revitalization.

Below are the details for specific areas of interest:

Summer Day Camp: Staff is creating a revised version of our traditional day camps as many families rely on camp for childcare. Day Camp 2020 will be held starting Monday, June 22 at Wagner Community Center and the Eldridge Recreation building and will follow the guidelines set by Phase 3. This camp is similar to Funseekers but will not include the field trips and swimming at East End or Smalley Pools. Safety, as always, is top of mind. The restructured day camp will incorporate smaller group sizes, separate locations allowing for little to no crossover between camp groups, increased sanitation practices, face coverings when necessary, and social distancing restrictions in accordance with Illinois Department of Public Health and CDC guidelines. Due to the need to keep camp groups separate and provide indoor shelter for each group, there will be a limited number of spaces available for registration. Priority registration will go to those people who had already registered for Funseekers or Courts Plus camp. More information will be released in the coming week.

Courts Plus: Courts Plus staff is currently working on a Phase 3 reopening of the fitness floor and outdoor fitness classes with limited capacity and advanced reservations. A reopening date will be announced shortly and more specific information will be provided to Courts Plus members as soon as possible. Potential summer camp opportunities at Courts Plus are being considered for Phase 4. All other areas are being evaluated for opening in Phase 4 and 5.

Sugar Creek Golf Course: Sugar Creek is open for prepaid tee times only (online & phone). Foursomes are allowed in Phase 3 with 10-minute tee time intervals. One person per cart, or two per household, is now allowed as well. The driving range will also open with limited capacity while the clubhouse will remain closed.

Athletic fields and courts: Outdoor tennis courts, pickle ball courts, athletic fields and the skate park will be open beginning Friday.

Outdoor restrooms and picnic pavilions: Outdoor restrooms will open for the season on June 5. No picnic rentals will be taken for June.

Garden Plots: Plots will open Monday, June 1. Three plots remain. For more information, visit our Garden Plots page.

Parks and playgrounds: Parks have remained open for walking, jogging, and biking during the stay-at-home order as long as social distancing guidelines are followed. However, playgrounds were closed and will remain closed until Phase 4, according to the Restore Illinois Plan.

Summer Programs: Staff is targeting Phase 4 for additional programming, such as dance, gymnastics, and sports. Details will be forthcoming.

Outdoor pools: The District is continuing with the suspension of operations for East End and Smalley pools. Public pool operations are not included as part of Phase 3 of the Restore Illinois Plan and, as of this date, there has been no direction or guidelines from IDPH concerning the safe operation of outdoor public pools this summer. Season passes have been extended through September 2021.

The Hub: Staff hopes to be able to reopen The Hub toward the end of Phase 3 or early Phase 4. More details to come.

Wagner Community Center: Wagner will reopen as programming resumes. Registration services remain available via email and phone.

The Abbey: The Abbey Senior Center will remain closed during Phase 3.

Wilder Mansion: Wilder Mansion will remain closed during Phase 3.

Fall brochure: The fall brochure will be made available online only in mid-July.

Anticipated Phase 4 openings will include playgrounds, sand volleyball, futsal, basketball and roller hockey courts, water fountains, the Wilder Park Conservatory, and the bicentennial and Wilder Mansion fountains.

Any open facilities will remain open as long as participants adhere to the District’s guidelines for use of those facilities based on the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and Illinois Department of Health (IDPH) guidelines.

Our team is prepared to adjust and make appropriate changes as we get closer to Phase 4-Revitalization. We will continue to keep you as informed as possible. For the latest information, please visit www.epd.org. We appreciate your patience and hope to see you soon!

May 12 Update - Outdoor pools closed for 2020 season

As you’re aware, the stay-at-home order has been extended through the end of May. The District continues to monitor information and waits for additional guidance from the Governor, CDC, and Illinois Department of Public Health, but because social distancing and restrictions on groups larger than 10 will remain in place throughout the summer months, a number of important decisions had to be made. As a result, the following changes will occur as we continue to focus on safety, security and sanitation for park users and staff.

Outdoor pools will not open for the 2020 season. Everyone who purchased a season pass will be able to carry the pass over to use during the 2021 season. More information on the outdoor pools will be shared tomorrow.
Registration will remain closed for all summer programming. When we are able to safely reopen, the focus will be on programs and offerings that best meet the community’s needs, including day camps, adult fitness and use of the parks. Then, as soon as it’s safe and reasonable to do so, we will offer additional programming. We will continue to post updates on www.epd.org related to programming.
No picnic rentals or facility rentals will be taken for June.
Golf at Sugar Creek Golf Course will still be allowed and will follow all required safety guidelines, including online pre-payment.
All community events through the end of June have been cancelled, including Adventure Day and Movies in the Park. It is our hope to reschedule the 100th Anniversary Community Picnic, scheduled for June 6, to a later date.
Parks and trails will remain open for walking, jogging, and biking under the current social distancing guidelines. However, playgrounds, tennis courts, basketball courts, the skate park and athletic fields remain closed at the current time.
Seasonal brochures will be available online only until further notice to provide maximum flexibility and cost savings.

During this stay-at-home order, the District is not able to provide the majority of services and programs to the community, and we project the losses to be more than $6 million in non-tax dollars. More than half of the District's overall funding is generated from user fees, memberships and facility rental fees. As a result, we have instituted a hiring freeze, frozen any vacant positions, deferred more than $1 million in capital projects and will need to furlough many full-time and nearly all of our part-time staff on May 31 who make those programs and offerings possible.

We greatly look forward to the lifting of the stay at home order so that the District, along with everyone else, can begin to transition back to a new "normal", which we anticipate will allow for greater use of the parks and a gradual re-introduction of programs and services. It is our hope that when we come out on the other side of this, we will all emerge stronger as a community, and the Elmhurst Park District looks forward to getting back to Enriching Lives While Having Fun.

April 24 Update - Closures to continue through May

As you are likely aware, Governor Pritzker has announced an extension of the stay-at-home order through the end of May. The extension has a number of impacts on the Elmhurst Park District.

Summer registration previously scheduled for May 2 has been postponed
All May programs and events are cancelled and rentals are postponed
Spring programs that had been cancelled will be credited
Sugar Creek Golf Course, under the new order, will be able to reopen on May 1 with strict social distancing guidelines (more details TBD)
Staff hopes to be able to provide outdoor swimming options for summer but due to ever-changing safety guidelines, that might not possible
As staff looks to hopefully reopen in June, we plan to focus on programs and events to best meet the community’s needs, including day camp options, adult fitness, parks, and golf

District parks remain open only for walking, hiking, running and biking as long as park users comply with social distancing requirements. As a reminder, playgrounds are closed. District facilities, with the exception of the golf course, will remain closed through May.

We will continue to monitor information from local, state and national authorities to determine next steps.

Be sure to keep an eye on this web page for additional updates.

March 30 Update - Closure Updates

Based upon Governor Pritzker’s announcement today to extend his stay-at-home order through the end of April, we will be extending the closure of all District facilities through April 30. While unfortunate, this is a necessary step that we must take as a District in order to minimize exposure to participants and staff and limit the spread of the virus while reducing strain on the healthcare system.

All programs, events and rentals previously scheduled in April will be canceled. However, District parks remain open only for walking, hiking, running and biking as long as park users comply with social distancing requirements. As a reminder, playgrounds are closed.

We will continue to monitor information from local, state and national authorities to determine next steps if we need to extend our closure beyond April 30.

Be sure to keep an eye on this web page for additional updates.

March 27 Update - All Egg Hunt events cancelled

This year's Egg Scramble, Doggie Eggstravaganza and Flashlight Egg Hunt are cancelled. The Adult Egg Hunt was also cancelled earlier this month and participants were refunded.

March 20 Update - Following Governor Pritzker’s announcement this afternoon of a statewide “stay at home order”, we wanted to provide an update to participants and residents.

Thankfully we had already taken several steps to do our part to slow the spread of COVID-19. Many staff are working from home, we’ve cancelled events and programs through April 5, and we’ve closed facilities to the public. We know this hasn’t been easy on anyone, but the safety of our staff, participants and residents is crucial.

At this time, most things for the Park District will remain as they are. Two exceptions, per the Governor’s address this afternoon are 1. To extend the closure of District facilities to April 7, and 2. To close all District playgrounds beginning tomorrow at 5:00 p.m. However, please note that District parks remain open for walking, hiking, running and biking as long as park users comply with social distancing requirements.

We will continue to monitor information from local, state and national authorities to determine next steps if we need to extend our closure beyond April 7.

Be sure to keep an eye on this web page for additional updates.

March 20 Update - Due to the recent facility closures we want to inform you of our current plans regarding refunds and credits:

Memberships: Courts Plus members who have paid in full will have their membership extended for the length of the closure. For example; if we are closed for 3 weeks you will have a 3 week extension on your membership. Members who are on installment billing will not be charged during the closure. Accounts will be adjusted accordingly when facilities reopen and billing resumes.
Rentals and Parties: We are currently working with rentals through May 15. If your party has been scheduled during this time we will be happy to refund or reschedule your event without a cancellation or rescheduling fee.
Rec Station, Sunbeams & Rainbows, and other programs with automatic billing will NOT be charged or billed during the closure. All automatic billings and payments are suspended until we reopen.
All paid events that were scheduled to take place during the closure will be refunded automatically at this time. You do not need to request a refund.
Currently, all programs are on hold. We are working on plans to reschedule or cancel, and we will process credits and refunds when facilities reopen.

If you have any questions regarding our refund policy, please use the Contact form on our website. We will do our best to respond to you Monday-Friday between 9am-5pm. We thank you for your patience and understanding. We value you as a customer and look forward to serving you again in the near future.

Please note that the above mentioned refund practices are being offered during this special closure and are not our standard policies.

March 19 Update - Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all Elmhurst Park District facilities are closed to the public through April 5.

Be sure to check this page for status updates. We will process credits for cancelled programs and events upon reopening, and all recurring payments including but not limited to Rec Station, Sunbeams and Rainbows, and Courts Plus are currently suspended. If you need to contact us during this time, please use our Contact Page.

March 13 Update - Elmhurst Park District closes facility to public amid growing coronavirus concerns beginning March 14

Based on the rapidly evolving situation with COVID-19 and recommendations from public health officials to limit public gatherings, the Elmhurst Park District is canceling all programs and rentals as well as closing all facilities beginning Saturday, March 14, through Sunday, April 5. All permitted uses of athletic fields will also be cancelled. This includes the cancellation of the Bridal Party at Wilder Mansion on April 2 and the new Adult Egg Hunt on Saturday, April 4 at Sugar Creek Golf Course.

While the Park District has no confirmed COVID-19 cases, we are exercising an abundance of caution and have based decisions on recommendations from public health officials to minimize exposure to participants and staff and limit the spread of the virus while reducing strain on the healthcare system.

While facilities will be closed to the public, the District will continue to operate and staff will be available via phone and email during normal business hours Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.

Facility closures include, but are not limited to, Wagner Community Center, Courts Plus, Sugar Creek Golf Course, The Abbey, The Wilder Mansion, Wilder Park Conservatory, and The Hub.

The only exceptions to the closure are March 17 Election Day polling at Crestview, Wagner Community Center, Sugar Creek Golf Course and former Redeemer Center as well as the Park Board meeting on Monday, March 30.

“We have a responsibility for the health and well-being of our community and staff and we’re playing our small part in slowing the spread of this virus,” said Executive Director Jim Rogers.

Participants will be refunded or credited for any cancelled programs, rentals, and events. We will evaluate memberships and based on the length of closure determine a manner in which to compensate members.

We ask for your patience as we navigate this unprecedented event. This is a quickly evolving situation, and we ask you to check our website at epd.org for the latest updates.

March 12 COVID-19 Update - The Elmhurst Park District is continuing to monitor information from the CDC and the Illinois Department of Public Health regarding the COVID-19 outbreak. Currently all programs and facilities are operating as scheduled with the exception of those held at School District 205 facilities (this does NOT include Rec Station, which will continue to run while the schools are open). Please be sure to check our website at epd.org for the latest updates on program cancellations or facility closures. If you or your child are not feeling well or are exhibiting any flu-like symptoms, please stay home. Refund requests will be handled accordingly.

In the event of a potential localized impact, the District is prepared to cancel programs and close facilities, limit access to facilities to essential personnel, and alternate work schedules so District operations continue. These decisions will be carefully considered and evaluated. In the event these cancellations or closures occur, signs will be posted at facilities and updates will be posted on the District’s website at epd.org and on social media channels.

The District is asking you to do your part to contain the spread of infectious diseases by following basic health practices including covering your mouth when coughing or sneezing, washing hands often, cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces and objects, avoiding close contact with people who are sick, and staying home or keeping your child home from Park District programs and facilities if you are experiencing flu-like symptoms, including a fever.

If you or a member of your family contracts COVID-19, please contact Division Manager of HR and Risk, Julie Bruns, at (630) 993-8918 as soon as possible.

For more information about COVID-19, please visit cdc.gov.

March 5 COVID-19 Update - The Elmhurst Park District is committed to ensuring the health and safety of patrons and staff. We have taken steps to help control the spread of the COVID-19 (commonly known as coronavirus) as well as other known viruses such as the flu and common cold. All District facilities are being regularly disinfected, which includes disinfecting doorknobs, handrails and grab rails. When possible, hand sanitizer will be placed throughout District facilities.

The most effective way to stay healthy and minimize the spread of infectious disease is to follow basic health best practices including:

• Cover your mouth with a tissue when coughing or sneezing or by coughing into the inside of the elbow. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.

• Wash hands often especially before eating and after contact with public surfaces. Wash with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand cleaner.

• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects including counters, desks, and cell phones.

• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

• Stay home if you’re sick and avoid contact with other people until they are well.

• See your doctor if you have a fever, cough, body aches and fatigue.

The District will continue to monitor information from the CDC and the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) and staff have modified procedures accordingly. The District is asking you to do your part to contain the spread of infectious diseases by staying home or keeping your child home from Park District programs and facilities if you are experiencing flu symptoms or if you are not feeling well. If you or a member of your family contracts COVID-19, please contact Division Manager of HR and Risk, Julie Bruns, at 630-993-8918.

If you are looking for more information about COVID-19, you can check out the CDC website or the Illinois Department of Public Health website.