Winnetka Park District

What Winnetka Park District does

Winnetka Park District is a special purpose local government entity organized under Illinois state law, founded in 1904 and headquartered at 540 Hibbard Road in Winnetka, Illinois. The district operates 27 parks, 5 lakefront beaches on Lake Michigan (Maple, Tower, Lloyd, Elder Lane, and Centennial), and dedicated recreational facilities including the A.C. Nielsen Tennis Center, Winnetka Ice Arena, Platform Tennis Facility, and Winnetka Golf Club (managed by KemperSports since December 2022). It serves Winnetka residents as the primary customer base, with non-residents accessing programs and beach passes at higher price tiers; programming spans youth and adult sports, camps, ice skating, tennis, platform tennis, and golf.

The district runs on RecTrac + WebTrac for online program registration and facility reservations, Mailchimp for email marketing, and supports substantial physical infrastructure including a 4-million-gallon underground stormwater detention tank at Skokie Playfields, bioswale systems, breakwaters, and bluff restoration works. Its long-horizon Waterfront 2030 Lakefront Master Plan (adopted 2016) and the ongoing Elder Lane + Centennial Beach project (~$18.6M total, ~$10.5M Phase One) represent the most significant capital initiatives.

Revenue is generated through program fees (sports, camps, ice skating, tennis, platform tennis, golf), beach passes and daily admissions ($12 resident/$24 non-resident weekday), facility and field rentals, boat storage at Lloyd Beach, philanthropic donations channeled through the affiliated Winnetka Parks Foundation (501(c)(3), est. 1999, $2M+ raised), and a managed-services arrangement with KemperSports for golf operations. The district issued $9M in bonds in 2020 and received a $3M donation from the Ishbia Family Foundation in 2024 to fund lakefront improvements. Governance is provided by an elected Board of Commissioners under Executive Director Shannon Nazzal.

Name

Winnetka Park District

Legal name

Winnetka Park District

Website

https://winpark.org

Company type

Public

Founded year

1904

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Winnetka Park District is a special-purpose Illinois municipal government that operates 27 parks, 5 lakefront beaches, ice arena, tennis, platform tennis, and golf facilities for Winnetka residents, funded by program fees, beach passes, rentals, and donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Park and Recreation Services

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219), Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (713940), Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Parks, Recreation & Protected Areas Administration (BPAIAMAH)

Keywords

• Public parks recreation
• Recreation program services
• Community sports facilities
• Beach and park management
• Municipal leisure services

Headquarters

HQ city

Winnetka

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Program Fees: Registration fees for recreation programs including sports, camps, ice skating, tennis, platform tennis, and golf. Programs are priced differently for residents and non-residents.
2. Beach Passes and Admissions: Daily admissions and seasonal beach passes for beach access at Maple, Tower, Lloyd, and Elder Lane beaches. Weekday rates: $12/resident, $24/non-resident. Weekend/holiday access limited to passholders.
3. Facility Rentals: Rental revenue from facilities including field rentals, facility rentals, park rentals, and party packages. Includes boat storage at Lloyd Beach.
4. Donations and Sponsorships: Donations through Winnetka Parks Foundation (501c3) including the Stepan Family donation for boat launch, Ishbia Family Foundation $3M donation for Centennial Beach dog beach, and Winnetka Woman's Club $100,000 donation for Dwyer Park gazebo.
5. Golf Club Management Agreement: KemperSports manages Winnetka Golf Club, providing golf operations, course management, and renovation oversight in partnership with the park district.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Winnetka Park District is a local government entity that operates and maintains 27 parks, 5 lakefront beaches, and recreational facilities (tennis center, ice arena, platform tennis courts, and golf club) in Winnetka, Illinois. It provides community recreation programming including youth and adult sports, camps, lessons, beach access, boat storage, and facility/field rentals for residents and non-residents.

Product overview

Winnetka Park District operates as a municipal park district offering a comprehensive portfolio of recreational facilities and programs. The organization provides unified access to multiple core facilities including the A.C. Nielsen Tennis Center (tennis and pickleball), Winnetka Ice Arena (ice skating and hockey), Platform Tennis Facility, and Winnetka Golf Club (managed by KemperSports). The district manages five lakefront beaches along Lake Michigan—Maple, Tower, Lloyd, Elder Lane, and Centennial—supporting swimming, boating, and beach activities. Recreation programming spans youth and teen sports, educational programs, and seasonal camps. Additional services include facility, field, and park rentals for events. The Waterfront 2030 Plan guides ongoing lakefront improvement projects at Elder Lane, Centennial, Lloyd, Maple Street, and Tower Road locations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• A.C. Nielsen Tennis Center Tennis facility offering court reservations, group lessons, private lessons, memberships, pickleball courts, and team/league programs for residents and non-residents.
• Winnetka Ice Arena Ice skating facility offering public skating, group and private lessons, freestyle sessions, stick and puck, competitive team programs, annual ice show, and party packages.
• Platform Tennis Facility Outdoor platform/paddle tennis facility offering court reservations, group lessons, and WPTC league memberships for residents and non-residents.
• Winnetka Golf Club Golf course managed by KemperSports offering tee time bookings, golf lessons, course renovations, and clubhouse services.
• Beaches and Parks Five lakefront beaches along Lake Michigan with swimming, boating, dog beach access, and seasonal beach passes and daily admissions.
• Youth and Teen Programs Recreation programs including youth sports leagues, special interest and educational programs, and various youth activities for the community.
• Camps Summer camps, school out trips, and winter break camp programs for children with various activity options.
• Facility and Field Rentals Rental programs for facilities, fields, parks, and party packages for private events and birthday parties.
• Boat Storage Motorized and non-motorized boat storage at Lloyd Beach, with allocation by lottery and sealed bid for residents and non-residents.

Quantifiable outcome

• Combined 8 acres of contiguous parkland through Elder + Centennial unification
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and major.

• KemperSportscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerChicago-based golf, sports, entertainment and hospitality company selected by Park District Board of Commissioners to manage Winnetka Golf Club and oversee course renovation including resurfaced greens, tees, fairways, bunker remodeling, and improved drainage.
• Village of WinnetkacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing collaboration on stormwater management including Crow Island Stormwater Storage and Conveyance Project. Joint efforts on lakefront permitting with the Village's Zoning Board, Plan Commission, and Design & Review Board.
• School District 36minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Crow Island Stormwater Project - third installment in Village's Stormwater Improvements Program.
• Winnetka Fire DepartmentminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConducts mock emergency drills with park district lakefront lifeguards for hypothetical emergency scenarios to maintain readiness and water safety skills.
• The Orchard 2020 Revocable TrustmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProperty exchange agreement signed October 10, 2020 for lakefront property between Elder Lane Beach and Centennial Beach. Exchange would allow combining of the two beaches. Currently dormant due to pending litigation but not cancelled.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Wilmette Park District: Adjacent North Shore Chicago suburb park district serving Wilmette, IL with similar lakefront amenities, community recreation programming, beach operations, and resident/non-resident pricing model — the closest geographic and operational peer to Winnetka.
• Glenview Park District: North Shore suburban park district operating similar facilities (golf, ice, tennis, pools, parks) for an affluent Chicago suburb — directly comparable in scope of recreation programming and government-district structure.
• Highland Park Park District: North Shore park district serving lakefront Highland Park, IL with comparable demographic profile, beach operations, and recreation facility mix including tennis, ice, and golf.
• Northbrook Park District: North Shore Chicago suburb park district with similarly sized operations, community recreation programming, and special-purpose government structure under Illinois law.
• Evanston Parks, Recreation & Community Services: Municipal parks and recreation department serving lakefront Evanston, IL — comparable North Shore location, lakefront beach operations, and broad recreation programming portfolio.
• Skokie Park District: Adjacent North Shore Chicago suburb park district with similar facility mix including ice arena, sports fields, and park programming; operates the Skokie Playfields, which are part of the Winnetka stormwater infrastructure partnership.
• Park Ridge Park District: Northern Chicago suburb park district operating recreation facilities, ice arena, pools, and community programming under a similar Illinois special-purpose district governance model.
• Deerfield Park District: North Shore suburban park district serving an affluent community with similar recreation programming, beach and pool operations, and government-district funding model.
• Lake Forest Parks & Recreation: Affluent North Shore Chicago suburb with comparable demographic profile, lakefront assets, and community recreation programming under similar governance structure.

Broad incumbents

• Chicago Park District: Largest municipal park district in the U.S. — operates 600+ parks, 31 beaches, and extensive recreation programming across Chicago; a broad incumbent that provides the regional context for North Shore park districts though it operates at materially larger scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/winnetkaparks
• YouTubeyoutube.com/winnetkaparkdistrict
• Facebookfacebook.com/winnetkaparks
• Instagraminstagram.com/winnetkaparks
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/winnetka-park-district

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Winnetka Park District