Retiring Park Board member thanks staff, fellow commissioners

  • Commissioners Vince Spaeth and Doug Ennis

Retiring Park Board Commissioner, Doug Ennis, was recognized at the April 26, 2021 Park Board meeting for his six years of service to the board.

During his tenure, Ennis served on the Board of the Elmhurst Art Museum and People for Elmhurst Parks, as well as committee and liaison roles in Finance, Policy and Registration Management Software Ad hoc.

He contributed to many initiatives, including the Vision 2020 Comprehensive and Strategic Plan, the redevelopment of five parks, including the universal Playground for Everyone at Butterfield Park and the securing of a $1.8 million grant for the renovation of the historical Wilder Park Conservatory and greenhouse. 

Ennis also supported negotiations of intergovernmental and agency agreements with several organizations, including DuPage County Forest Preserve and the City of Elmhurst, saving taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars in funds. Recently, he has been proactive in ensuring participants and staff remained safe while providing recreational programming during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Park District and Board expressed gratitude to Ennis for his countless hours of service to enhance parks and recreation opportunities in Elmhurst.

Park Board President, Vince Spaeth commented, “I’m extremely proud to have had you as part of a team member. You really added a lot of creativity and roundness to the board, the additional discussions and the way that you dug into the details. You always found something extra that provided a lot of value.”

Ennis thanked staff and the Park Board, saying, “It’s been great working with you. I really appreciate the dialog, communication and your commitment to Elmhurst and to the parks.”

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