Park Safety Letter to the Community
Dear Wildwood Residents,
Summer is finally around the corner, and with that comes Wildwood’s favorite outdoor activities including boating, fishing, swimming, and enjoying all that the Wildwood parks and lakes have to offer! In addition, we look forward to all the new and classic events, concerts, and activities planned by the Wildwood Park District! Our Park Safety team looks forward to ensuring we can all enjoy these traditional summer activities, events, and festivities safely and without worry.
My name is Roberto Cambrany, and as your new Park Safety Coordinator – I am glad to be a part of the Wildwood Park District Team! I aim to care for all our parks, residents, and guests who enjoy them. With a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice, experience working with local private security firms, and being a part of the public safety department at Six Flags Great America, I hope to use this experience to best serve and care for the Wildwood parks and all its residents. This season I hope to only improve our Safety Team with a focus on safety, service, and security. We aim to ensure safe conditions, enforce ordinances, and be a helpful and friendly smile for residents. I am also bilingual in English and Spanish, so please feel free to communicate with me in either language.
The Wildwood Park District Safety Team will continue to enforce parking permits in/on our park property and park parking lots. We encourage all residents to pick up their free 2023-2024 parking permit from our park district office and/or seek out a Park Safety team member in the parks to obtain one. Non-Residents can obtain a temporary one-day parking pass for a $10.00 per park per day fee. This paid pass can only be obtained in-person at our main office during regular office hours. This paid pass allows you to park at a single park for a single day with each additional park requiring a separate $10.00 paid pass for Non-Residents. Vehicles without a proper permit will be towed if found in violation. Please ensure parking permits are visible and affixed to the inner passenger’s side windshield. The Wildwood Park District only enforces parking rules on our properties (immediate park parking lots at the parks and park shoulder areas -specifically at Sunset Park – where Park District signs are affixed). For any concerns or questions about public/neighborhood roads please contact the Warren Township Highway Department at 847.244.1101 ext.*301.
The Wildwood Park District asks that all patrons of our parks clean up after their pets, as well as keeping all pets leashed and under total control. Trash cans and Mutt Mitt dispensers are available at most park entrances. Let’s work together to keep our parks clean!
Our parks are open from sunrise to dusk. With the exception of Rule Park which closes at 10:00PM, we ask that all patrons leave the parks after the sun has set. Our Park District Office hours are 9:30AM – 4:00PM Monday through Friday as well as 9:00AM – 12:30PM every 2nd and 4th Saturday from May through August. For any suspicious or criminal behavior in the parks after dark please contact the Lake County Sheriff’s Office at 847.549.5200 or dial 911 depending on the severity of the situation.
For concerns about fishing rules violations, overharvesting, wildlife, and other resource issues on/in the greater Gages Lake and Wildwood area please contact the Illinois Department of Natural Resources at 217.782.6302 and fill out an online incident report through the IDNR here: https://dnr2.illinois.gov/OLETIPHotline/. Please also contact Park Safety to report any such issues after attempting to contact the IDNR first.
For concerns regarding lake water quality, or closure of beaches, please contact the Wildwood Park District at 847.223.7275. Updated beach closures can also be found on the Lake County Health Department’s beach monitoring web page which can be found here: https://www.lakecountyil.gov/2385/Beach-Monitoring-and-Advisories and also by scanning the QR code with your smartphone present on the Wildwood Park District signage at each beach.
For additional information on boating and watercrafts, please contact DNR.Watercraft@illinois.gov. For a full summary of parking, boating, and safety rules, ordinances, and general information please refer to the following Park District web page for frequently asked questions: https://www.wildwoodparkdistrict.com/parking-boating-and-safety/.
Our Park Safety Staff are part-time seasonal employees and do not patrol 24/7. We are available at peak anticipated hours of operation, generally from 2PM – 8PM or 3PM-9PM Monday-Sunday depending on the time of season. Boat Ramp Monitors are scheduled between 9AM-3PM on Saturdays and Sundays Memorial Day through Labor Day weekend, as well as Friday afternoons 11AM-5PM at Sunset Boat Launch during the season. If you need a Park Safety team member to assist with something while we are available, please call or text our Park Safety Line at 847.309.1478 as well as to report issues after hours that we may be able to handle (i.e. call in a tow if necessary). We can also be reached directly by email at parksecurity@wildwoodparkdistrict.com; or contact the Wildwood Park District Office at 847.223.7275. Again, for emergencies please dial 911 or contact the Lake County Sheriff’s Office non-emergency at 847.549.5200.
Please don’t hesitate to approach our friendly Park Safety team members with questions, concerns, or just to say hello! Park safety is a community effort in which we work together in staying vigilant for suspicious behavior or reporting unsafe conditions. We can make our parks a better place that will last for generations to come! We here at the Wildwood Park Safety Team are at your service and aim to work alongside Wildwood residents to keep our parks safe, secure, and clean.
Sincerely,
Roberto Cambrany
Park Safety Coordinator
Wildwood Park District
parksecurity@wildwoodparkdistrict.com
847.309.1478
