Winnetka Park District
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.
- Company typePublic
- Founded1904
- HeadquartersWinnetka, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
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.
Winnetka Park District firmographics
Firmographics- 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
Winnetka Park District industry classification
Industry- 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
Where Winnetka Park District is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Winnetka
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices6 records
Markets served
Winnetka Park District business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- 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.
- 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.
- Facility Rentals: Rental revenue from facilities including field rentals, facility rentals, park rentals, and party packages. Includes boat storage at Lloyd Beach.
- 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.
- 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
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Beach Pass - Weekday rates |
| Unit Pricing | One time | Boat Storage Lottery Tickets |
| Transaction based/ take rate | One time | Recreation Programs Cancellation Fee |
| Unit Pricing | One time | Golf Programs Cancellation |
| Transaction based/ take rate | One time | Tennis Programs Cancellation |
| Transaction based/ take rate | One time | Platform Tennis Programs Cancellation |
| Transaction based/ take rate | One time | Ice Skating Programs Cancellation |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels5 records
Winnetka Park District product offering
Product offeringCore 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
Companies that use Winnetka Park District
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Winnetka Park District technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Feature3 records
Winnetka Park District partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and major.
- KemperSportscoreChicago-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 WinnetkacoreOngoing 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 36minorPartner in Crow Island Stormwater Project - third installment in Village's Stormwater Improvements Program.
- Winnetka Fire DepartmentminorConducts mock emergency drills with park district lakefront lifeguards for hypothetical emergency scenarios to maintain readiness and water safety skills.
- The Orchard 2020 Revocable TrustmajorProperty 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
Winnetka Park District competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect 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
Winnetka Park District social profiles
Digital presenceWinnetka Park District financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Winnetka Park District leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Winnetka Park District subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Winnetka Park District funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Winnetka Park District M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Winnetka Park District
What does Winnetka Park District do?
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.
Is Winnetka Park District a public or private company?
Winnetka Park District is a public company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Winnetka Park District founded?
Winnetka Park District was founded in 1904. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Winnetka Park District based?
Winnetka Park District is headquartered in Winnetka, United States, in the North America region.
How does Winnetka Park District make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Program Fees are the primary driver. The others are beach Passes and Admissions, facility Rentals, donations and Sponsorships and golf Club Management Agreement.
Who are Winnetka Park District's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Wilmette Park District, Glenview Park District, Highland Park Park District, Northbrook Park District, Evanston Parks, Recreation & Community Services, Skokie Park District, Park Ridge Park District, Deerfield Park District and Lake Forest Parks & Recreation. Chicago Park District is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Winnetka Park District have an API?
No public API is recorded for Winnetka Park District.
What industry is Winnetka Park District in?
Winnetka Park District's product category is Public Park and Recreation Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAIAMAH, Parks, Recreation & Protected Areas Administration. Its NAICS code is 71219 and its SIC code is 7900.