What Northbrook Park District does

Northbrook Park District is a municipal government entity established under Illinois law that delivers parks, recreation, and community services to approximately 34,058 residents across a 13-square-mile service area in Northbrook, Illinois. The district governs and maintains 543 acres of property across 23 park areas, including 29 owned parcels and 32 acres held through intergovernmental agreements. Its service portfolio spans facility operations (Heritage Oaks Golf Club with 36 holes of golf, Techny Prairie Activity Center — the 3rd verified Net Zero Facility in Illinois, Northbrook Sports Center with two indoor ice rinks, the Ed Rudolph Velodrome — one of two banked cycling tracks in Illinois, Northbrook Theatre, Meadowhill Aquatic Center) and program delivery (before/after school care, summer camps, ice skating instruction, golf instruction, athletics leagues, performing arts, fitness, aquatics, preschool).

The district's technology stack is intentionally lean: registration and payment processing run on the Active Network (Active Net Communities) SaaS platform, website traffic is tracked through Google Analytics, and social plug-ins for Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and related platforms support content distribution. No proprietary technology, public API, or in-house software product is documented.

Northbrook Park District operates a hybrid municipal funding model. The FY2024 total budget is $31.6 million, comprising a $21.8M operating budget, $7.4M capital improvement and repair budget, and $2.5M debt service budget. Primary revenue includes property taxes (tax rate $0.415 per $100 of assessed value in 2022, representing ~5.6% of the average residential tax bill), program and activity fees, facility rental income, and Illinois Department of Natural Resources grants (OSLAD grants historically $600K–$2.8M), Illinois Arts Council grants, and ComEd energy efficiency grants. Capital access is anchored by a Moody's Aaa rating on its General Obligation Limited Tax Park Bonds, Series 2022. The district operates from its administrative office at 545 Academy Drive, Northbrook, IL, governed by a seven-member elected Board of Commissioners and led by Executive Director Chris Leiner, CPRP.

Name

Northbrook Park District

Legal name

Northbrook Park District

Website

https://nbparks.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1927

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Northbrook Park District is a municipal government entity serving approximately 34,058 residents of Northbrook, Illinois with 543 acres of parks, recreation facilities including golf courses, indoor ice rinks, a velodrome, and aquatic centers, plus a broad portfolio of youth, athletic, performing arts, and inclusion programs funded primarily by property taxes.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Municipal Recreation and Parks Services

NAICS

Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (71394), Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (713940), Golf Courses and Country Clubs (71391)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Multi-Sport Complexes & Community Sports Parks (MPAKAEAH)

Keywords

• Municipal recreation services
• Community park facilities
• Recreation program management
• Youth sports programming
• Public golf operations

Headquarters

HQ city

Northbrook

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Property Tax Revenue: Primary funding source through property taxes. The 2022 tax rate was $0.415 per $100 of assessed value (5.6% of average real estate tax bill).
2. Program and Activity Fees: Fees collected from recreational programs including golf, summer camps, ice skating, fitness, performing arts, athletics, preschool, aquatics, and before/after school programming
3. Facility Rentals: Revenue from renting parks, shelters, pools, athletic courts and fields, and the Ed Rudolph Velodrome for events and private gatherings
4. Government Grants: Grants from Illinois Department of Natural Resources including OSLAD grants ($600K-$2.8M range), Park and Recreational Facility Construction grants, Illinois Arts Council grants, and ComEd energy efficiency grants

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

The Northbrook Park District operates and maintains 543 acres of parkland across 23 park areas and a portfolio of premier recreation facilities including Heritage Oaks Golf Club (18-hole public course), Techny Prairie Activity Center (net-zero certified fitness), Northbrook Sports Center (two indoor ice rinks), Ed Rudolph Velodrome (banked cycling track), Northbrook Theatre, and Meadowhill Aquatic Center. It delivers year-round structured programs (youth/adult athletics, fitness, performing arts, aquatics, early childhood, before/after school care, summer camps) plus community special events, with paid registration via the Active Network platform and a tiered resident/non-resident fee structure.

Product overview

The Northbrook Park District operates as a comprehensive municipal recreation agency managing a diverse portfolio of facilities and programs. The district maintains over 500 acres across 23 parks and operates premier facilities including Heritage Oaks Golf Club (public golf), Techny Prairie Activity Center (net-zero certified fitness), Northbrook Sports Center (two indoor ice rinks), Ed Rudolph Velodrome (banked cycling track), Northbrook Theatre (performing arts), and Meadowhill Aquatic Center. The service offering includes structured programs (youth/adult sports, fitness, performing arts, early childhood education, summer camps, before/after school care) and amenity-based activities (ice skating, swimming, golf, cycling). Annual special events and facility rentals complement the programming. The district partners with Northern Suburban Special Recreation Association (NSSRA) to provide inclusion services for residents with special needs. The portfolio operates as a multi-facility, multi-program recreation model rather than a single unified product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Heritage Oaks Golf Club An 18-hole public golf course operated by the district with a clubhouse, driving range, and practice facilities, open to the public for tee times, lessons, and league play. Named a Top 50 Public Range by the Golf Range Association of America in 2024.
• Techny Prairie Activity Center A net-zero certified fitness and recreation facility offering fitness equipment, group classes, and specialty programs. Recognized as the 2022 Facility of Merit by Athletic Business and as a New Fitness and Recreation Facility of the Year (Club Marketing & Management Services International, 2021).
• Northbrook Sports Center A premier sports facility containing two full-size indoor ice rinks, offering learn-to-skate programs, hockey, synchronized skating (Teams Elite), speed skating, and public skating sessions.
• Ed Rudolph Velodrome A quarter-mile banked cycling track hosting the annual Northbrook Cycle Committee racing schedule, youth cycling programs, and Thursday night races. One of only 28 such tracks in the country and one of two in Illinois.
• Northbrook Theatre A performing arts venue offering theatrical productions, concerts, and dance performances, recognized with the Daily Herald Glenbrook Readers' Choice Award for Best Theatre.
• Meadowhill Aquatic Center An outdoor swimming facility with water features, open seasonally for public swimming and available for private rentals.
• Outdoor Parks & Natural Areas Over 500 acres of parkland across 23 park areas offering playgrounds, sports fields, trails, picnic areas, fishing lakes, a dog park, and natural areas for free public access.
• Adventure Campus (Before & After School Care) A licensed before- and after-school child care program providing supervision, enrichment activities, and recreation for school-age children during non-school hours.
• Summer Camps Seasonal day camps offering sports, arts, nature exploration, and special-interest programming for school-age children during summer break.
• Athletics Programs Organized youth and adult sports leagues and instruction including basketball, soccer, baseball, softball, lacrosse, flag football, volleyball, pickleball, and tennis.
• Ice Skating Programs Comprehensive skating instruction from beginner (SnowPlow Sam) through advanced levels (Free Skate), including freestyle sessions, figure skating, and synchronized skating via the Teams Elite program.
• Golf Programs Instructional and recreational golf programming including lessons, junior programs, and golf leagues at Heritage Oaks Golf Club.
• Performing Arts Programs Dance, theatre, and music programming including classes, workshops, and full productions staged at Northbrook Theatre.
• Fitness Programs Group fitness classes and specialty fitness programming including cardio, strength training, and wellness classes at Techny Prairie Activity Center.
• Early Childhood & Preschool Early childhood education and preschool programs providing developmental activities, socialization, and school-readiness preparation for young children.
• Aquatics Programs Swimming lessons, aquatic fitness, and recreational swimming at Meadowhill Aquatic Center and Northbrook Sports Center Pool.
• Special Events and Races Annual community events including Liberty Loop 5K, Kids' Duathlon, Kids' Fishing Derby, Northbrook-On-Ice, the Tuesdays in the Park concert series, and seasonal festivals.
• Facility Rentals Rental of parks, shelters, athletic fields, pools, courts, and event spaces for private gatherings, corporate events, and tournaments, priced by unit with separate resident and non-resident tiers.
• Inclusion Services (via NSSRA partnership) Inclusion services for participants with special needs, including companion support, staff training, program modifications, adapted equipment, and accessibility accommodations, delivered at no additional cost through a partnership with the Northern Suburban Special Recreation Association (NSSRA).

Quantifiable outcome

• Serves approximately 34,058 residents across 13 square miles
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Northern Suburban Special Recreation Association (NSSRA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1970Formed in 1970, NSSRA is an extension of ten park districts, two cities and one village in the northern suburbs of Chicago. It provides and facilitates year-round recreation programs and services for children, teens and adults with disabilities, offering over 500 annual programs. NSSRA has the distinction of being the first Special Recreation Association in the country.
• National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA)minorOthersProfessional association membership providing resources, certification (CPRP), and industry standards for park and recreation professionals.
• Illinois Park and Recreation Association (IPRA)minorOthersState-level professional association for park and recreation professionals in Illinois.
• Illinois Association of Park Districts (IAPD)minorOthersState-level association representing park districts in Illinois, provides advocacy and awards programs.
• Youth Services of Glenview/NorthbrookminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to provide scholarships for camps and programs for families with demonstrated financial need, and to determine eligibility for financial assistance programs.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Highland Park Park District: North Shore municipal park district operating similar parks, recreation, and facility portfolio including the Heller Nature Center. Direct comparator in terms of affluent-suburban tax base and recreational programming mix.
• Des Plaines Park District: Chicagoland park district operating Mystic Waters Aquatic Center, golf operations, and senior/community programming. Operates at a comparable scale and service-area profile.
• Winnetka Park District: Affluent North Shore park district with Lloyd Beach, ice facilities, and recreation programming. Highly comparable in demographic profile, tax base, and municipal recreation service model.
• Glenview Park District: Neighboring North Shore municipal park district serving Glenview, IL with a similar portfolio of parks, recreation programs, ice rink (Glenview Ice Center), aquatic facilities, and golf. Closest geographic and demographic peer to Northbrook Park District.
• Arlington Heights Park District: Large Chicagoland park district with comparable facility mix including Arlington Lakes Golf Club, recreation centers, and aquatics. Operates at a similar budget tier to Northbrook.
• Wilmette Park District: North Shore park district operating Gillson Park, Centennial Recreation Center, and Wallace Bowl. Comparable affluent-suburban demographic, similar tax-funded recreation model, and active NSSRA partner.
• Skokie Park District: Chicagoland park district operating Devonshire Aquatic Center, Weber Park Golf Course, and Skokie Sports Park. Comparable range of facilities and demographic profile within the same Illinois municipal recreation ecosystem.
• Deerfield Park District: Adjacent North Shore park district serving Deerfield, IL with comparable parks, recreation, aquatics, and programming footprint. Co-founding member of NSSRA alongside Northbrook, indicating close operational alignment.
• Park Ridge Recreation and Park District: Chicagoland park district with similar municipal recreation structure including Hinkley Park Pool, Maine Park Leisure Center, and pickleball/ice programming. Comparable budget scale and program mix.

Broad incumbents

• Naperville Park District: One of Illinois's largest park districts by budget and acreage, regularly cited as a national leader in municipal recreation. Provides a benchmark for the scale and program diversity Northbrook's model could aspire to.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@nb_parks
• Facebookfacebook.com/NorthbrookParkDistrict
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/northbrookparkdistrict
• Instagraminstagram.com/nb_parks
• TikToktiktok.com/@nb_parks
• Xx.com/nb_parks

Compliance9 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

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 Northbrook Park District