Downers Grove Park District

What Downers Grove Park District does

Downers Grove Park District is an Illinois municipal corporation established in 1946 that operates as a tax-funded, direct-to-consumer provider of parks and recreation services to approximately 49,500 residents of Downers Grove, Illinois, across just over 14 square miles in DuPage County. The district owns or leases 47 sites encompassing nearly 600 acres of parks, natural areas, trails, and specialty facilities, including the Cathy Mahoney Recreation Center (69,000 sq. ft., housing 4500 Fitness, gymnasium, indoor track, and SEASPAR offices), the historic Lincoln Center (1867–1974 former school repurposed as a community center with preschool, active adult center, and meeting rooms), Lyman Woods Nature Center (150 acres of restored oak woods/prairie/marsh with the Sherman Interpretive Center), the Downers Grove Museum campus (including the 1846 Blodgett House), Belmont Golf Club (9-hole historic course dating to 1899), and Adventure Falls (sprayground, mini golf, and sport courts).

The district runs an annual portfolio of 2,655 recreation programs serving more than 31,000 participants — spanning youth and adult sports leagues, summer camps, fitness classes, art/dance/preschool programs, nature and history programs, and special events such as the Summer Concert Series at Fishel Park (1,500–2,500 weekly visitors) — delivered through a multi-channel stack: a new mobile app (Innovatise-built, iOS/Android, 2026), the WebTrac online registration platform, ArcGIS interactive maps, RainoutLine weather notifications, 23,000-copy seasonal print recreation guides, email newsletters (18,000+ subscribers), digital signage, and in-person/phone registration at the Administrative Office.

The business model blends property-tax revenue (the FY 2026 Operating Expenses budget is $15,502,968, with a $2,942,000 Capital Projects budget and $1,992,084 Debt Service budget) with fee-based program registrations, facility and pavilion rentals, Belmont Golf Club operations, advertising/sponsorship (rec guide ads, digital signage, event sponsorships across presenting/supporting/event tiers), grants (e.g., a $600,000 Illinois OSLAD grant for McCollum Park), and donations routed through The Grove Foundation 501(c)(3). Residents receive roughly a 10% discount on facility rentals; pricing is unit-based (e.g., $5/$8 mini golf, $295–$365 birthday parties, $40–$135/hour Lincoln Center rentals). The district is governed by an elected five-member Board of Park Commissioners and operates SEASPAR, a special recreation association of 11 member entities serving individuals with disabilities.

Name

Downers Grove Park District

Legal name

Downers Grove Park District

Website

https://dgparks.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1946

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Downers Grove Park District is an Illinois municipal corporation founded in 1946 that operates 47 park and facility sites across ~600 acres, delivering 2,655 recreation programs to 31,000+ participants and serving approximately 49,500 residents through tax-funded parks, recreation, golf, museum, and nature services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Downers Grove

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 and Recreation Fees: Revenue from recreation program registrations including fitness classes, sports leagues, summer camps, preschool programs, nature programs, art/dance classes, and special events. Fee-based programs serve as a primary revenue stream alongside tax funding.
2. Property Tax Revenue: Governmental revenue from property taxes supporting park district operations. FY 2026 Operating Expenses budgeted at $15,502,968.
3. Facility Rentals: Revenue from renting park pavilions, recreation center spaces, gymnasiums, multi-purpose rooms, and the Belmont Golf Club.
4. Advertising and Sponsorship: Revenue from advertising in recreation guides, e-newsletters, digital display signage, banners at athletic fields and facilities, and event sponsorships.
5. Golf Operations: Revenue from Belmont Golf Club operations including green fees, golf merchandise, and club services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Downers Grove Park District is an independent local government entity that manages nearly 600 acres of parks and facilities across 47 sites and delivers over 2,655 recreation programs annually serving 31,000+ participants. Core offerings include parks, a recreation center, a nature center, a museum, a 9-hole public golf course, a fitness center, special recreation services for individuals with disabilities, youth and adult sports leagues, summer camps, preschool programs, facility rentals, and community special events.

Product overview

The Downers Grove Park District operates as a single unified parks and recreation service, offering parks and facilities, recreation programs, and community services rather than a software product. The portfolio includes: parks and natural areas (47 sites, ~600 acres); facilities (Cathy Mahoney Recreation Center, Lincoln Center, Lyman Woods Nature Center, Downers Grove Museum, Belmont Golf Club); programming (2,655 programs serving 31,000+ participants annually including youth/adult sports, camps, fitness, nature, museum, performing arts, and preschool); special events (Summer Concert Series, seasonal festivals); and rental/advertising/sponsorship services. The district also operates SEASPAR, a special recreation association serving individuals with disabilities across 11 member entities. Key 2026 projects include the McCollum Park Playground Renovation ($600K OSLAD-funded) and tennis-to-pickleball conversion.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Parks & Facilities Network Network of 47 park and facility sites encompassing nearly 600 acres, including community parks, neighborhood parks, natural areas, trails, and specialty facilities.
• Adventure Falls Family summer destination featuring a sprayground with three interactive play areas, an 18-hole mini golf course, concessions, pavilion rentals, and private party areas. As of 2026, the sprayground is free to all visitors.
• 4500 Fitness

Named customers8 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Village of Downers GrovecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment partnership for community services. The Village works with the Park District on various community initiatives and events.
• Forest Preserve District of DuPage CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for natural areas management and conservation efforts. Joint stewardship of regional natural resources.
• SEASPARcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpecial Recreation Association serving individuals with disabilities. SEASPAR is an extension of the Park District's services, providing programs for individuals of all ages with all types of disabilities.
• Downers Grove Public LibraryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner for educational programming and community outreach initiatives.
• Pierce Downer Heritage AllianceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHeritage preservation organization partnership for historical programming and awareness.
• Jackson Family DentistryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent Sponsor for Adventure Falls Sprayground and Summer Camp programs.
• Community Bank of Downers GroveminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting Sponsor for Adventure Falls Tennis/Pickleball Courts and Dog Daze pet event.
• Kelly Stetler Team at Compass RealtyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting Sponsor for 2025 Summer Concert Series, Mid-scale and Small-scale Family Events.
• Advocate Health CareminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent Sponsor for park district community health and wellness events.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Strengths5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/DGParks
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/downers-grove-park-district

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Downers Grove Park District