Parks and Recreation Commission

Village of Brookfield Agenda Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting Tuesday, March 17, 2026 @ 6:30 PM Edward Barcal Hall 8820 Brookfield Avenue Brookfield, IL 60513 I. Call to Order II. Minutes 1. February 2026 Minutes Parks and Recreation Commission Minutes February 2026 III. Public Comment IV. Correspondence V. Discussion Items 1. Staff Report A.1 Recreation Programs A.1.1. Early Child Recreation A.1.2. Youth Recreation and Arts A.1.3. Youth Athletics A.1.4. Adult Recreation A.1.5. Senior Programming A.2. Department Items A.3. Special Events A.4. Parks and Facilities 2. Early Childhood and Pavilion Rental Report Recreation Supervisor Memo: Kelly Picton -17 Mar 2026 - Pdf 3. S.T.A.R.S. Before and After Care Program and Youth Recreational Programing Recreation Supervisor Memo: Jacob Garza -17 Mar 2026 - Pdf 4. Summer Camps Recreation Supervisor Memo: Nick Magro -17 Mar 2026 - Pdf 5. Director Memo: Matt Odom Director Memo: Matt Odom -17 Mar 2026 - Pdf VI. Village Trustee Report VII. Old Business VIII. New Business IX. Next Meeting X. Adjournment Page 1 of 21 Individuals with a disability requiring a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in any meeting should contact the Village of Brookfield (708)485-7344 prior to the meeting. Wheelchair access may be gained through the police department (East) entrance of the Village Hall. Page 2 of 21  Village of Brookfield Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting Tuesday February 17, 2026 @ 6:30 PM Edward Barcal Hall 8820 Brookfield Avenue Brookfield, IL 60513 I. Call to Order: Meeting called to order at 6:32 p.m. Commissioners Vyskocil, Schultz, Towers, Harte, Duner and Chmura were present. Trustee Kyle Whitehead present. Assistant Village Manager Stevie Ferrari and new Parks and Recreation Director Matt Odom present. II. Minutes: December 2025 minutes approved. III. Public Comment: IV. Correspondence: V. Discussion Items 1. Staff Report: All departments within Parks and recreation submitted reports via Icompass. 2. Early Childhood and Pavillion rentals: Working on marketing new programs and pavilion rentals are going well. 3. STARS and Youth Programs: Day off from school camps are ongoing, Registration for summer camps begins March 2nd for residents. 4. Adult/Youth Athletics: Added new programming. 5. Parks Capital Projects, Administration, Senior Programming and Special Events: Creekside Park design has been chosen, the bridge has been removed from phase 1. They will apply for a new grant to include the bridge and trails on opposite side of the creek. Tentative openings and closings of both new parks Creekside and Maple South will be listed in upcoming brochure. Summer bands need to be booked by first week of March in order to make it into The Brookfielder. 6. Village Trustee Report: French market concept considered for 8 corners on Friday evenings. Commuter parking will be restructured, Special use permit is up for discussion in regards to a dispensary on 31st. The village will be partnering with the zoo to share event spaces. Brookfield seal to be redone. VI. Old Business VII. New Business Foundation Fundraiser theme 90s set for March 13th at 7 pm VIII. Next Meeting March 10, 2026 IX. Adjournment: Meeting adjourned at approximately 7:21 pm. Individuals with a disability requiring reasonable accommodation in order to participate in any meeting should contact the Village of Brookfield (708)485-7344 prior to the meeting. Wheelchair access may be gained through the police department (East) entrance of the Village Hall. Page 3 of 21  Committee Item Memo Meeting Date: March 17, 2026 Staff Contact: Kelly Picton, Early Childhood Recreation Supervisor Department: Parks and Recreation Subject: Early Childhood and Pavilion Rental Report Background Information: March 2026 Early Childhood & Pavilion Rental Report Tots Prep Preschool  We had a Picture Day for all our early childhood students this month. We work with a company called Photomonkyee. We’re looking forward to getting the proofs very soon.  Spring Break is scheduled for March 30 through April 6. Teensy Tiny Tots  Our youngest students continue to enjoy coming to their class.  This group of students loves to sing during circle time. Nature Explorer Preschool  The February field trip was to the Lizzadro Museum of Lapidary Art. The kids were fascinated by the rocks and sculptures.  The weather changes have been fun to observe. The daffodils we planted last November are beginning to appear. Winter Programs  Energetic Evenings-Session 2: Thursday evenings with 10 participants.  Multi-Sport Mania-Session 2: Saturday mornings with 13 participants. o This program is held at Hollywood School gym.  Sports of All Sorts-Session 2: Saturday mornings with 9 participants. o This program is held at Hollywood School gym.  Art Works-Session 2: Wednesday afternoons with 6 participants.  Theater Class for Kids: Saturday mornings with 7 participants. Page 4 of 21  Adult Yoga-Session 2: Monday evenings with 16 adults registered and 3-4 drop-in participants weekly. Summer Camp 2026 o Camp Registration opened on Monday, March 2 at 9am. o We had about 18 people register in-person and everyone else registered online. o Registration went well and everyone seemed pleased with the process. o Camp Brains and Games (Max 61)  Session 1: 61 participants  Session 2: 61 participants  Session 3: 55 participants o Camp Budding Brookies Registration is going well. We are offering 3 registration options for this half-day camp: 2 day, 3 day and 5 day.  This summer we are offering 9 weeks of camp.  The Water Tower location is starting to near full registration on select weeks.  The Rec House location has many openings. Budding Brookies registrations usually increase after the summer brochure is released. o Summer Teensy Tiny Tots  We are offering 7 weeks of programing this summer.  Registration is going very well and some weeks are nearly full. o Camp Counselors:  I have 22 staff members returning this summer. I may only need to hire 4 new staff members this summer.  We are currently receiving applications for camp staff. Pavilion Reservations and Rentals 2026  Pavilion reservations are ongoing.  The Rec Hall (Village Hall Basement) will be used by the Brook Park Girl Scouts on Saturday, March 14. We will have one of our part-time staff members present during the event. Page 5 of 21 Page 6 of 21 Page 7 of 21  Committee Item Memo Meeting Date: March 17, 2026 Staff Contact: Jacob Garza, Recreation Supervisor Department: Parks and Recreation Subject: S.T.A.R.S. Before and After Care Program and Youth Recreational Programing Background Information: (S.T.A.R.S) (General Youth Programing) S.T.A.R.S. Fun in the sun in March? Bowling and St. Patrick’s Day parties? Our Stars program continues to endure the Chicago weather by participating in fun indoor activities. Staff arrange fun activities like “Rainbow Hands”, and “Homemade Shamrocks” for students to enjoy. At our district 103 sites, students look forward to Fridays, where students can participate in movie days with popcorn or Chromebook days where they can engage in fun interactive games such as 'Blooket" and "Fun Run". District 95 continues to utilize the recreation center room for organized games and activities to occupy our students. Pop-a-shot, educational television shows such as “Magic School Bus”, and “Clifford the Big Red Dog”, continue to be a popular choice for students. February 16th saw our Day Off School Camp go on a fun field trip to Rolling Lanes in Countryside. Both district 95 and 103 took full advantage of the great weather on Monday, March 9th. Students engaged in fun outdoor activities such as wiffleball, tag, kickball, and games on their school’s playground. With the weather varying throughout the month, staff implemented new structured activities and rotations to improve student engagement. While having fun is an important aspect of our program, the afterschool staff continue to focus on structured programming, including homework time and quiet/calm activities. Efforts are being made to reinforce voice control, cleanup procedures, and rotation expectations, to continue to assure that we are providing the best service we can possible. Staff Development Staff development continues to operate with daily check-ins and short in-person meetings. A staff meeting was conducted by Recreation Supervisor Jacob Garza on March 4th. This meeting was with District 95 Stars staff, and highlighted a few important aspects of our program  Voice control Page 8 of 21  o Staff were trained to use attention getters and visual signals to lower the volume when we are inside during program hours  Clean-up procedures o Staff were re-trained on how to follow proper cleaning procedures, ensuring the area we occupy ourselves in is fully ready for the next group the following day  Rotation expectations o Staff were given clear instructions on how to offer a variety of different rotational exercises for students to be introduced to each day This training was roughly an hour, with the supervisor explaining in depth ways for staff to continue to focus on maintaining active supervision, student engagement, and continue to make great efforts to ensure we always provide a safe and positive environment. General Youth Programing (Sports) A multitude of youth programs began in the month of March. Youth sports such as youth volleyball, basketball, and soccer, all began at S.E. Gross Middle School. These youth sports programs are instructed by wonderful recreation staff who have a deep passion for giving back to our community, along with having plenty of experience in the sports they teach. Volleyball is instructed by new Brookfield employees Joy Campbell and Myriea Amaya. Basketball is instructed by recreation staff Gavin Duncan and Jayden Aquino Soccer is instructed by recreation staff Jiovani Espinosa and Jayden Aquino Youth Beginner Enrollment Numbers Volleyball Session 1: January 6 Enrolled / Max 13th - February Count 14 17th, Tuesdays Session 2: March 17 Enrolled / Max 3rd - April 21st, Count 20 Tuesday Youth Intermediate Volleyball Enrollment Numbers Session 1: January 13th - February 17th, 0 Enrolled / Max Count 12 Tuesdays Session 2: March 3rd - April 21st, Tuesday 15 Enrolled / Max 12 General Youth Programing Staff are currently preparing several new youth programs such as Youth Piano, Beginner Chess Club, Kids Creative Writing Club, and an Outdoor Adventure Club. These programs aim to expand general youth recreational opportunities and introduce new interests that can spark social engagement. Beginner Chess is instructed by a new Brookfield employee Dalton Campbell Page 9 of 21 Youth Piano is instructed by Jacob Garza Upcoming Events/Planning Summer Specialty Camps Planning has begun for new specialty camps including Junior Outdoor Adventure Camp and Imagine Nation: Creators Makers Camp. These camps aim to be an alternative specialized camp for families who are on waiting lists for our 3-month long summer camp programs. These camps offer similar varieties of traditional summer camp, but are centralized along a theme, where students can learn and engage towards the theme, thus being the great outdoors, and creative imagination. These camps are currently in the middle stages of creating and finalizing certain aspects, with an open registration date hovering around April 24th. Summer Youth Programs/Events Additional youth programs such as Bucket Golf Tour, Rock n Roll Keyboard Kids, Silly Sidewalk Sketches, Teens Night Out, and Mario Kart Mayhem are also in the middle stages of development, with an anticipated registration date around April 24th. Like other new programs, these programs are aimed to expand youth programing interests and social engagement opportunities District 103 Half-Day Planning Brookfield staff are in the process of coordinating with district 103 regarding potential half-day camp collaborations during early dismissal days. With previous talks in years past, staff from district 103 and Brookfield parks and recreation are in the beginning stages on making this a potential option for our families. Attached is a survey conducted by district 103 to parents regarding their interests in this potential process. Some notable data include:  256 collective responses  84% of respondents indicate an interest in enrollment  Potential participants reaching 350-400  Operate time of greatest need, 12:00pm – 4:00pm Planned meetings with district 103 staff and Brookfield staff are currently underway. Attachments: Volleyball Session 2 Stars March Memo Stars March Memo 3 Stars March Memo 2 26-27 SY Analysis of Early Release Day Childcare Interest Survey Results Page 10 of 21 Page 11 of 21 Page 12 of 21 Page 13 of 21 Page 14 of 21 2026-2027 SY Lyons School District 103 STARS Before & Aftercare Partnership Analysis of Early Release Day Childcare Interest Survey Results To address student attendance and support working families, we conducted a District-wide survey regarding childcare needs during early release days. With 256 unique responses, the data revealed a high demand for a structured, affordable, and on-site childcare solution. 1. Scaled Enrollment Demand ● Total Interest: Approximately 84% of respondents (over 215 families) expressed a desire to enroll their children. ● Volume: With many families having multiple children, the program could potentially need to accommodate 350–400+ students across the district. ● Primary Grade Targets: Demand is the highest for Grades K–5, though there is a notable secondary cluster of interest for Pre-K families seeking continuity. 2. Operational Timing & Location ● Critical Windows: The data shows a clear "peak" need between 12:00 PM and 4:30 PM. ○ 56% of parents need care until 4:00 PM. ○ 41% of parents need care until 5:00 PM or later. ● The "Location Gap": While a slight majority (59%) could make a central location work, 41% (over 100 families) identified a central hub as a dealbreaker. 3. Financial Expectations & Reality ● Price Sensitivity: A significant portion of the community—35%—needs the program to be free. ● Market Rate: The largest "willing to pay" group (37%) falls in the $1–$10 per day range. ● Current Burden: Several families currently paying for private care reported costs exceeding $80 per day, suggesting the STARS program would provide massive financial relief even at a $10–$15 price point. 4. Programming Priorities Parents are looking for more than "babysitting"; they value enrichment and wellness. ● 81% prioritized a nutritious lunch. ● 76% requested structured activities (arts, crafts, games). ● 69% valued supervised free play. ● 63% prioritized outdoor time. Discuss developing a clear plan for Special Education (IEP/504) accommodations, as this was a recurring concern in open-ended comments. Additionally, there was a recommendation for separate activity tracks for K–2 and 3–5 to ensure age-appropriate safety. 5. Staffing Potential Page 15 of 21 2026-2027 SY Lyons School District 103 STARS Before & Aftercare Partnership ● Workforce Pipeline: 74 individuals (approximately 29% of all respondents) explicitly stated interest in exploring part-time employment. This could support staffing multiple sites, potentially solving the "centralized location" barrier mentioned above. Click here for full access to the survey responses. Page 16 of 21  Committee Item Memo Meeting Date: March 17, 2026 Staff Contact: Nick Magro, Recreation Supervisor Department: Parks and Recreation Subject: Summer Camps Background Information: Summer Camp Summer camp registration opened for residents Monday, March 2nd It will open Monday, March 23rd for non-residents. We have started booking field trips and planning out the ten weeks of camp. Camp Kiwanis has over 100 enrollments every week out of the max 130. Camp GREAT/GROSS is at the original max enrollment every week at 80 campers - we have been working to add a few more spots each week. Traveler Camp is currently full at 35 campers for 7 of the 10 weeks - we will be opening 5 more additional spots each week. For registration there is a $25 deposit for each week of camp for Kiwanis and GREAT (Traveler is a $75 deposit) that goes towards each week’s payment to hold the participant’s spot. Over $90,000.00 was taken in on the first day of camp registration. Due to the high traffic during the registration opening, we open before and after care at a later date – it is available to all participants enrolled in camp. Before and after care will open on Monday, April 6th. 2025 Summer camp enrollment statistics and 2026 current enrollment statistics 10 Week 2025 Camp Weekly Avg Weekly Max Enrollment Kiwanis 1173 118 130 GREAT 781 78 80 Traveler 361 36 40 2026 Kiwanis 1056 106 130 GREAT 818 81 83 Traveler 343 34 40 Page 17 of 21  Meeting Date: March 17, 2026 Staff Contact: Matt Odom, Parks and Recreation Director Department: Parks and Recreation Subject: Director Memo: Matt Odom Background Information: Parks Capital Projects Updates: Ehlert Park Field 1: The new dugouts arrived on Monday, March 9 and install began shortly thereafter. Concrete form work was done under the dugouts on Friday, March 13. Fence installation along the first base line was pending confirmation of private utility lines by Public Works. RBHS baseball season is scheduled to start this Wednesday, March 18. This may be delayed due to the weather and delay of the aforementioned final steps. Director Odom is in communication with RBHS Assistant Principal of Athletic Fil Torres about field conditions and the start of their season. Maple Park South: Director Odom met with Public Works staff, Project Manager Brogan Maloney from Play Illinois, and Dan O’Malley from Hancock Engineering at Maple South Park on Tuesday, March 10, to discuss next steps in installing the new playground at the location. Asst. Village Manager Ferrari and Director Odom are planning to have a follow-up meeting with Hancock the week of March 16 to firm up the plan, with grading and playground install all happening in the next several months. Senior Programming: Broadway at the Paramount Director Odom and Recreation Supervisor Magro took a group of 5 to see Dear Evan Hanson at the Paramount Theatre in Aurora on Wednesday, February 25. Looking ahead, there are already 5 registered for the next trip on Wednesday, May 13, to see Rodgers & Hammerstein’s South Pacific. St. Patrick's Day Lunch: This annual event took place on Friday, March 13, at the lower level of Village Hall. There were 75 registered for the event. Participants enjoyed a decorated hall and tables, raffles, music and a fantastic meal from Irish Times (corned beef, cabbage, potatoes, carrots and rye bread). Page 18 of 21 Lunch was served by Village Administrative staff, and a good time was had by all. We hope to do more of these types of events moving forward. Special Events Bunny Brunch This annual event is hosted in 2 sessions (9:30A and 11:00A) and includes a full brunch menu, personalized egg hunt, games, music and photo opportunities. We currently have a total of 119 registrations in both sessions. Recreation staff is preparing all event items to be ready for the event on Saturday morning, March 28, at Village Hall. Summer Concerts Attached to this memo is a spreadsheet that includes a tentative summer music schedule for Concerts in the Park, Music on Grand our 4th of July festivities. Director Odom has been working on communication with bands primarily found in the database provided in last month’s memo from Asst. Village Manager Ferrari. At this point the schedule is nearly complete with confirmations and/or tentative confirmations for 23 of 24 timeslots. This should be finalized within the next week or so. As was mentioned previously, the goal is an earlier release of our entertainment schedule for promotional purposes. Attachments: Summer 2026 Music Schedule - Tentative Page 19 of 21 DATE TIMESLOT ARTIST Friday, June 19, 2026 7:00 The Jolly Ringwald's Friday, June 26, 2026 7:00 Proudest Monkey Friday, July 10, 2026 7:00 My Weekend Crush Friday, July 17, 2026 7:00 Midnight Friday, July 24, 2026 7:00 The StingRays Friday, July 31, 2026 7:00 Character Fleadh Friday, August 7, 2026 7:00 Hot Mic Friday, August 14, 2026 7:00 Abby Kay Band Friday, August 21, 2026 7:00 Eleven Friday, August 28, 2026 7:00 Blend Acoustic Saturday, July 4, 2026 12:30 The Good Stuff Band Saturday, July 4, 2026 3:00 No Limit Saturday, June 27, 2026 4:30 Saturday, June 27, 2026 6:30 Studebaker John & the Hawks Saturday, June 27, 2026 8:30 One Foot In the Groove Saturday, July 25, 2026 4:30 Like a Stone Saturday, July 25, 2026 6:30 The Bourbon Aristocracy Saturday, July 25, 2026 8:30 Free Fallin Saturday, August 29, 2026 4:30 The Redmonds Saturday, August 29, 2026 6:30 Chicago Rockhouse Saturday, August 29, 2026 8:30 Fool House Band Saturday, September 26, 2026 4:30 Bosco Saturday, September 26, 2026 6:30 Fuze Band Saturday, September 26, 2026 8:30 Yacht Rock-ettes Page 20 of 21 GENRE 80's Pop Dave Matthews Band cover 90s/00s Pop, Today's Top 40 Rock Oldies - 50s/60s/70s Celtic Pop/Rock Country Hard Rock Soft Rock Country/Kenny Chesney cover Classic Rock Blues Horn Driven Classic Rock 90's Rock Bluegrass Tom Petty cover (national) Americana Classic Rock Ultimate 90's Party World's Greatest Party Band Latin Yacht Rock Page 21 of 21