Over the past few summers the Park District of Franklin Park

has been working hard to develop a competitive swim team

for the entire community. Last summer, we joined the Central
Suburban Swim Conference and had a very successful
competitive season.
My name is Veronica Drozdowski, and I am the head coach of
the Narwhals Swim Team. I am graduating from the University
of Illinois this year and moving on to medical school in order to
pursue my dream of becoming a doctor one day. I have been a
swimmer ever since I can remember, and swam competitively
from grade school all the way through college. Over the past fve
summers I have been the coach of our Park District swim team
and worked hard to develop our program in order to provide the
best experience possible for our families.

Last summer we fnally achieved our vision of combining
recreation with competition and were able to offer our swimmers
a fun and competitive environment. We watched our swimmers
perfect their technique, get stronger and swim faster, all of
which was evident by the amount of progress made over the
course of one summer. Although we were small, our parents and
swimmers grew into a tightly-knit community. During swim
meets our pool deck was always full of supportive parents,
cheering on not only their own child, but their entire team to
many victories. One of my favorite memories was a relay race in
which our team of four swimmers were neck-and-neck with the
opposing team throughout the entire race. Parents were standing
on chairs to see the action, and everyone was cheering at the
top of their lungs to motivate our swimmers. All eyes were on
the pool as the fnal swimmer out-touched the opposing team
by only fractions of a second, and we had the win. This is just
one example of the spirit of the Narwhals, a spirit that I am very
excited to watch grow throughout this upcoming season.
We are thrilled for our team this summer! With the foundation
we have created we are looking forward to the 2014 season.
Look for more information on our website and Facebook page.
Or contact us at 847-455-2852.
Summer 2014
9560 Franklin Avenue
Franklin Park, IL 60131
Phone 847-455-2852 Fax 847-455-9053
www.fpparks.org [email protected]
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Check out
our new classes
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Recreations
A quarterly review of the people, programs,
and events of the Park District of Franklin Park
Learn About the Narwhal Swim Team Page 1
Ice Arena Celebration Page 2
Celebrating 50 Years With You! Page 3
Inside
Learn About the
Narwhals Swim Team
By Veronica Drozdowski, Swim Team Coach
Franklin Park Teen Camp:
Covering a lot of ground!
By Dan LoCascio, Program and Facility Manager
This summer the Park District of Franklin Park is expanding and improving its
Teen Camp! The days of playing at North Park with younger campers are gone as
Teen Camp now meets at the Community Center and is feld trip based. Using our
15-passenger van as well as Metra, Teen Camp ventures on six feld trips per session.
Trips include Millennium Park, Willis Tower, Kane County Cougars, Rainbow Falls
Water Park and Xtreme Trampolines.
As well as traveling on feld trips, campers participate in a Scavenger Hunt that takes them throughout Franklin Park. Camp Endurance
makes them solve clues directing them to different parks where they must complete a task before getting the next clue. Our Triathlon
joins them with Discovery Day Camp 10- and 11-year-olds on teams that swim, run and use scooters to the fnish line at North Park.
Campers not only learn responsibility but take part in team building activities to get to know each other. Campers also train each session
to create lessons and games to implement for Discovery Day Campers.
Each camper pays a one-time $20 registration fee and receives a shirt, water bottle and bag. Campers who need Before and After Camp
can still do so but are dropped off and picked up at North Park. Staff transports any campers to and from the Community Center. All
Teen Camp staff are 21 years old or above and supervise campers on every trip and activity. Spots are limited so hurry and register now!
Check out our Twitter page and follow us at
fpparks! Stay updated on Park District information,
#tbt for vintage photos and more!
Check Us Out
on Facebook!
Search for Park District of Franklin Park
and stay up-to-date on upcoming
events and programs.
Practicing Diving, 1960s
Ready, Set, Go
Visit Our
Twitter page!
Back in the early 70s, a dedicated group of hockey and fgure
skating families worked hard to get a premier ice sports facility
built in their neighborhood. Because of their persistence, support
of the community and the Park District Board of Commissioners,
the Franklin Park Ice Arena opened for business on September 7,
1974. Forty years later, the facility continues to be a leader.
Starting late spring 2014, the Ice Arena will undergo a two-part
renovation! Phase one begins at the end of May and includes a
new look to the front entranceway. In addition, new Franklin the
Penguin signs will be added and the outside of the building will
be repainted. The roofng over the Main and Studio Arenas will
also be coated with an elastomeric material. This is a fexible,
waterproof membrane that is painted over the existing metal roof.
The lobby roof will be covered with an aluminum coating. Even
though some alternate entrances may be necessary for a few days,
the Ice Arena will be open during this frst phase.
The second phase begins at the end of April 2015 and requires
that the Ice Arena be closed for four months. This project includes
the replacement of the arena refrigeration system. Our current
system is chilled with R22 Freon gas which is being phased out.
We are in the process of researching alternative primary and
secondary refrigerants.
The frst part of this project requires the removal of our existing
dasher boards and concrete slab. Five miles of steel pipe currently
under the Main Arena slab will be replaced with polyethylene
piping. The piping in our Studio Arena will also be replaced along
with the four HVAC units.
The expected cost of this project is $2.85 million. In March, the Park
District of Franklin Park applied for a Park and Recreation Facility
Construction (PARC) grant through the Illinois Department of
Natural Resources. Other grant opportunities are also being pursued.
Even with a shortened season, most programs will be unaffected.
With the exception of summer programs and camps, the other
three seasons will be in full swing. The Spring Ice Show will be
moved to the end of April and be the fnale to our season. We
are already working with local rinks to provide options for
summer 2015.
From inception, the Franklin Park Ice Arena has had a well-deserved
reputation for excellent ice. The equipment that chills the ice is
a major factor, but more important is daily ice maintenance. A
combination of ice maintenance, humidity levels and ice temperature
all affect ice quality. With this new state of the art system, we will be
able to provide excellent ice for an additional 40 years!
847.455.2852 www.fpparks.org Summer 2014
Ice Arena Renovation
By Sara Bolan, Ice Arena Manager
2
Strike Guard Lightning Detection System
By Joseph Modrich, Director of Parks & Recreation
Park District Commissioners approved the purchase of a lightning
detection system for four Park District locations at the March 25
Board meeting. The Strike Guard equipment is designed to detect
lightning and warn park and facility users to seek safe shelter. The
system will be based at the Community Center and have detection
capacity at the Pool on Pacifc, Birch Park and North Park. The
system sounds a siren and strobe light warning fashes when
lightning is detected. It also sounds an all clear signal when
lightning danger is over.
In addition to the system, the Park District is posting warning
and information signs at parks. There is more information at
www.fpparks.org and we also encourage residents, participants,
sports affliate coaches, and staff members to download weather/
lightning apps on their smart phones. These applications provide
National Weather Service real-time information about storms and
potential lightning. In the case of power outages, old fashioned
awareness and detection methods, including the sound of thunder
and lightning sightings, are also important tools. In our lightning
safety training and communication we will stress the importance
of using all available methods for lightning protection.
The system is scheduled for installation by May 19, 2014. For more
information please see the online and phone app resources below.
Lightning Safety
National Lightning Safety Institute www.lightningsafety.com
National Weather Service www.nws.noaa.gov
http://www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov/
http://www.stormready.noaa.gov/contact.htm
More information on NOAAWeather Radio can be found at:
http://www.nws.noaa.gov/nwr
Lightning Phone Apps:
Accuweather
Lightning Finder
NOAA
NOAANow
Radar US
Weather Bug
Discovery Day Camp, 1986
Celebrating
50 Years
with you!
Hockey in Action, 1980s
Ice Arena Ground Breaking, 1973
Pool on Pacifc, 2000s
Goldfsh Grab, 1980s Youth Cooking, 1980s
Playschool, 1987
Youth Boxing, 1990s
3
July 17 Anniversary Concert
25 or 6 to 4
This Chicago tribute band offers a high-energy performance
while replicating the music that captured everyones
heart! From the early hits off Chicago Transit Authoritys
1968 self-titled album, such as Beginnings and Does
Anyone Really Know What Time It Is? through the 1980s
with Chicagos hits Hard To Say Im Sorry and Youre
The Inspiration, after each performance youll be asking
yourself, Am I listening to the original recording? This
concert begins at 7:00 p.m. at North Park, 10040 Addison
Ave. Alocal food vendor will be there to sell delicious treats!
Ice Skating, 1979-1980