Your Community
Waukegan Park District
Community:
Waukegan
Focus Areas:
- Nutrition / Food / Gardening Education
- School Programs / Youth Education
Organization Mission:
The Waukegan Park District is committed to providing parks, facilities, and leisure opportunities to our culturally diverse population through leadership with community involvement, dedicated staff, and sound management.
Description:
The Waukegan Park District provides a full range of activities and services year round. Major recreation programs include athletics, music, visual arts, dance, drama, day camps, fitness, preschools, outdoor and environmental recreation, trips, and special events. Programs and services are provided for special populations such as senior citizens and individuals with disabilities.
A series of family programs that support the acquisition of good nutritional habits and the exploration of nature take place at the Children’s Garden located behind the Jane Addams Center in Bowen Park. The Children’s Garden is a fun, hands on method of engaging families outdoors in growing their own food and adding fresh foods to their diets. Employees from Midwest Generation (now NRG Energy) built and installed the learning circle benches, demonstration box, garden containers and worm box.
Plantings by day campers, scouts, and Midwest Generation employees, are tended by their respective organization throughout the growing season. The Children’s Garden provides a special place for the Waukegan Park District’s nature based programming thanks to the dedication and hard work of many Midwest Generation employees.