Congratulations, Park Ridge Park District Board!

For many years, the Park Ridge Park District has made sustainability a priority. Adopting an Environmental Policy in 2009, piloting our first “Pesticide Free Park” at Maine Park in 2015 and then expanding natural lawncare practices to all parks, and planting over 40 trees a year for the past 8 consecutive years, are just a few of the initiatives taken by the District in recent years.



The current Park Board realized the next step in the District’s environmental efforts would require a dedicated staff member assigned to this area. In the 2023 budget, the Board added a Part-Time Sustainability Coordinator. The Sustainability Coordinator is responsible for identifying ways to improve sustainability within the scope of the District’s capital projects, as well as identifying potential energy savings, emissions reductions, water conservation, and waste reduction opportunities within the District’s daily operations. Additionally, this position seeks and applies for funding assistance to support sustainability efforts.



The Sustainability Coordinator is currently working on the District’s first sustainability plan. With input gathered from a survey of the public, the plan will focus on areas identified as important by our residents. This new position at the District is helping the Park Ridge Park District lead sustainability efforts within the Park Ridge community as well as among other Park Districts.

John Tunnell
Park Board Commissioner
Park Ridge Park District