With the new Wagner Community Center on track to open in Fall 2027, Park District staff are taking steps to ensure a smooth launch to managing what will be the District’s largest community facility.
An essential milestone was met recently when the Park Board accepted the Wagner Community Center Operating Plan at their October 12, 2026 meeting. The Plan integrates programming, guest services, facility operations, risk management, marketing and communications, information technology, and staffing into one coordinated operating model.
At four times the size of the former community center building, the new Wagner will have expanded recreation opportunities, including a free indoor walking and jogging track for residents, indoor artificial turf, gymnasiums, multipurpose rooms, expanded dance and gymnastics spaces, a dedicated early childhood wing and an indoor play space.
The Plan gives staff a comprehensive tool with which to work when managing these new spaces. From how programs will be selected to how the District intends to maintain specialized features like the indoor turf field, the Plan helps position staff for a successful Wagner opening.
Wagner will continue to serve as the main site for registration so customer service excellence, including the need for clearly defined processes and well-trained staff, is a key focus of the Plan. Other components of the Plan include safety and emergency readiness, technology needs, staffing, and budgeting.
The Plan also emphasizes the need for ongoing evaluation of the Plan itself, to ensure that it evolves with the needs of the community.
“It really will not be something that sits on the shelf. It will be how we live with and operate this building,” said Executive Director Jim Rogers.
The genesis of the Plan began in October 2025 when a cross-departmental team with representation from every District department was formed with the intent to research, develop and implement an operating plan for the new Wagner Community Center. The plan was presented to the Park Board on September 28 prior to their acceptance of the Plan on October 12.
To learn more about the new Wagner Community Center, visit the project page.
