For one Elmhurst family, the Park District isn’t just a place to work. It’s where their most cherished memories have taken root and where community means more than just shared space. From careers to milestones, and now to childhood traditions, the lives of Park District staff members, Ashley and her husband Bobby, are entwined with the Elmhurst Park District in more ways than one.
Long before either of them worked for the district. Bobby spent his childhood summers and weekends in Elmhurst, often visiting his grandmother. Years later, when he and Ashley moved to town, he was eager to show her the Elmhurst landmarks he loved. One afternoon stroll turned into a life-changing moment when they visited Wilder Park.
“Knowing how much I love plants and gardens, he took me to the Conservatory - and I absolutely loved it,” she recalls. “We were newly engaged at the time, and the moment I saw the big white tent in the Wilder Park Formal Gardens, I knew that’s where I wanted to get married.”
Their wedding day remains one of the most magical moments of their lives.
“The entire ceremony in the garden felt like a dream,” she says. “We got married in mid-September, so everything was still in full bloom, with butterflies and birds all around. It honestly felt like something straight out of a Disney movie.”
Today, both Bobby and his wife work for Elmhurst Park District. After spending a few years as a stay-at-home parent, she returned to work when a role opened up on the registration team at Wagner Community Center.
“Our kids participate in activities at Wagner, so I was really excited about the chance to work right in the heart of our community,” she says. “Bobby saw how much I enjoyed my role, and when a position opened that matched his skill set, he jumped at the opportunity to join as a Facilities Specialist.”
Their two young boys are now growing up surrounded by the same parks and events that brought their parents together. The family continues to make memories one community event at a time. Touch-a-Truck, Park Palooza, and summer play days at Berens have become annual traditions.
“One of our favorite traditions is looking back at photos from events and seeing how much our boys have grown year after year,” Ashley shares.
The couple says the park district played a huge part in helping them feel rooted in Elmhurst from the start.
“From big Park District events to small playgroup meet-ups, we quickly felt what many describe as Elmhurst’s small-town charm with city perks,” she says.
While their wedding day may stand out as the most significant memory, it’s the everyday moments that matter just as much, like teaching their oldest son to ride a bike on the trails at Berens or watching their kids roll down the sled hill in the summer.
To the family, the Elmhurst Park District is more than parks and programming. It’s an opportunity for connection, joy, and the simple pleasures of shared experiences.
“The community events bring us all together to celebrate the simple joys in life - like eating cake pops while checking out a firetruck,” she says. “We’re not only giving our children fun memories, but we’re all sharing these moments together with our neighbors, and I think that’s so vital today.”
