A Word from the Park District Manager – Fall 2023 Edition

Dear Wildwood Residents,

There is something special about the seasons changing in Wildwood after a busy and fun filled summer. Our parks transform from their luscious green to a cornucopia of red and orange, and the warm summer breeze that once rolled off our lakes cools to a crisp air that makes us pack away our swimsuits for the year and wrap ourselves in a warm sweater. Much like the changing weather, the Wildwood Park District is transitioning to our own fall season. As we enter this wonderful time of year, I am excited to share with you all the new and exciting events, programs, and projects we have planned to make this a fun fall for all in Wildwood!

Nothing says fall like the start of our Schoolhouse Adventures Community Preschool school year! We currently have openings and are accepting enrollment for our 3’s Class, as well as our 4’s and 5’s Pre-K Class. Our dedicated, experienced, and caring teachers are committed to preparing your child for kindergarten in our safe and age-appropriate classroom through outdoor learning and play emphasis, small community environment, low teacher-student ratios, nature concepts, and developmentally appropriate practices. Our teachers work directly with the schools in our district to ensure our curriculum aligns with their kindergarten readiness requirements, ensuring that your child is set up for success.

We are also pleased to continue offering our popular programs for adults, such as Zumba in the Park, Bags League, and Yoga classes; and tot and youth programs like Pumpkin Painting and Gingerbread House Decorating nights. Two new programs coming your way this fall are a Basic Dog Obedience Class taught by Noble K-9 Dog Training, as well as an Adult Co-Ed Kickball League!

We have also been hard at work planning one of Wildwood’s largest and favorite fall events, Harvest Fest! We are excited to continue the tradition of this event for its third year, and festival goers can expect a fun day full of good food, drinks, live music, an antique car show, face painting, pony rides, petting zoo, kid’s activities, and much more!

Join us for familiar fall events such as Touch a Truck on October 7th, WSRA’s “Trunk or Treat” on October 22nd, Family Board Game Night on November 17th, and Cookies and Milk with Santa on December 8th. We are also happy to incorporate two new events, a Glow-in-the-Dark Scavenger Hunt on September 29th, and a Neighborhood Bonfire & S’mores Night on November 10th.

Our Maintenance Team continues to strive for excellence in maintaining our greenspaces, facilities, and playgrounds for our residents. Several fall initiatives include continued power washing and graffiti removal from playgrounds and pavilions, restoration of park picnic tables and sitting benches, enhancing bike racks with gravel, and restoration of park grills. The Pebble Beach Park wooden pier is set for replacement with a new composite decking pier in October/ November. Stormwater and drainage improvements around Valley Lake beginning this summer will continue into the fall as part of the Stormwater Infrastructure Improvements Project, led by Lake County Stormwater Management. All past, current, and upcoming capital projects and improvements can be found on our Capital Planning and Projects page at www.wildwoodparkdistrict.com/capital-projects-planning/.

Finally, we here at the Wildwood Park District pride ourselves on providing diverse programs, events, and activities for all ages within our community. On behalf of the entire Wildwood Park District team, we want to extend our most heartfelt gratitude to our community members for continuing to support us for all of your park and recreation needs. We are truly honored to serve you. I look forward to sharing another memorable fall with all of you.

Warmly,

Brandon Magnini

Park District Manager

bmagnini@wildwoodparkdistrict.com

847.223.7275