Did you know 2020 was our 50th Anniversary? It’s not the one we had envisioned but we certainly made the best of it doing what everyone else has this year: adjusting. We were sad that we weren’t able to have a giant celebration like we had planned, but we still made sure we celebrated the best way we could.

For those that attended Winterfest on February 6, which seems like years ago, you got to see a taste of what we had planned for the year. Many enjoyed the photo booth with Parkie. We’re sure many put our 50th Anniversary edition head phones to good use this year with all the e-learning and Zoom calls.

Then in March, just as we were gearing up to launch all of our summer activities like Summer Day Camp, Visit Your Local Park, swimming at Pelican Harbor Outdoor Aquatic Park, summer concerts and movies, the world turned upside down and we were forced to shut-down.  Our team quickly switched gears to virtual programming and patiently anticipated the day we could open back up. We took that time to prepare for your return with re-vamped programs with safety protocols. In July, we were thrilled to offer programming like:

• Camp Connections Summer Day Camp
• Golf at Boughton Ridge Golf Course
• Outdoor group exercise classes and open fitness time slots
• Drive-In Movies
• Gymnastics
• Lap Swimming at Pelican Harbor Aquatic Park
• Fishing at Hidden Lakes Historic Trout Farm

“I was really proud of our team with the things that were able to do, despite the limitations,” said Mike Baiardo, director of recreation & facilities. “It definitely wasn’t a typical year by any means, but the fun felt the same and it makes us happy to be able to bring some sense of normalcy to people.”

As for our 50th Anniversary, we posted throwback pictures to our social media pages highlighting past program and events, construction of buildings and playgrounds, and other important dates in our long history. In August, we dug up the time capsule that was placed by the flagpole at the Bolingbrook Recreation & Aquatic Complex 25 years ago. Up came a water-logged container filled with soaking wet flags, shirts, cups, and documents that were unfortunately all destroyed.  In October, we placed a new, completely waterproof time capsule back where the old one was to be dug up at our 75th Anniversary in 2045.

Though it wasn’t ideal, we are happy to say we made the best of it. We have our community to thank for that. We have and continue to appreciate your patience as we navigate these challenging times. We look forward to the day we can welcome you back at 100%. Until then, stay safe!