What Chillicothe Park District does

Chillicothe Park District is a special-purpose municipal park district organized under Illinois law, founded in 1948, that operates nine parks and recreational facilities in and around Chillicothe, Illinois. Its portfolio includes the historic Shore Acres Park and Clubhouse (the only Chillicothe building on the National Registry of Historic Places since 1995), the Shore Acres Pool aquatic center, Coal Hollow Park (an 80-acre river-bluff nature preserve with over 3 miles of trails), Stone Water Park (with a QR Fit Trail developed with Pearce Community Center), Santa Fe Park, Nellie Jackson Park, Rome Youth Fields, the Walnut Dog Park, and the Chillicothe Skate Park. Service lines include swimming lessons (Aqua Tots, Small Group, Individual), facility rentals (clubhouse and pavilions), youth sports via IVC Youth Athletics, and the cooperative HISRA special-needs recreation program with Peoria, Morton, and Washington Park Districts.

The district's revenue model is a hybrid of property-tax funding (primary, from residents within the taxing district), transaction-based fees (pool admissions $8-$9, swimming lessons $80-$140, pavilion rentals $50-$600, poolside rentals $375-$600), government grants (notably a $600,000 OSLAD grant from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources awarded March 2023), and sponsorships/donations channeled in part through the Chillicothe Parks Foundation, a related 501(c)(3). Day-to-day operations are run by Executive Director Kevin Yates with a small team (Superintendents of Recreation & Marketing and Parks & Facilities, plus a Bookkeeper/Treasurer) and seasonal/part-time staff such as lifeguards and maintenance laborers.

Distribution is direct-to-consumer through physical park access and online registration via Square; digital presence includes the district website plus Facebook, Twitter/X, and Instagram accounts under @chilliparks. The district has no mobile app and no public API. It is governed by an elected, volunteer Board of Trustees (six trustees plus an at-large president) and is not a venture-backed or privately held entity; expansion is constrained to its defined taxing district and proceeds through capital projects, partnerships, and grant-funded improvements.

Name

Chillicothe Park District

Legal name

Chillicothe Park District

Website

https://chillicotheparkdistrict.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1948

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Chillicothe Park District is a municipal park district founded in 1948 that operates nine parks, a pool, and recreation programs for residents of Chillicothe, Illinois, funded primarily by property taxes, program fees, grants, and donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Parks and Recreation Services

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Parks, Recreation & Protected Areas Administration (BPAIAMAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Recreation & Activity Services (Hiking, Boating, Climbing, Fishing—Guided/Authorized) (THAAAGAF), Water Safety, Lifeguarding & Training Services (Staffing, Certification) (THAAABAL)

Keywords

• Public parks management
• Recreational facility operations
• Aquatic center services
• Youth sports programs
• Community event hosting

Headquarters

HQ city

Chillicothe

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Property Tax Revenue: As a park district, the primary funding source is property taxes from residents within the district boundaries. The district operates on a tax-based funding model typical of municipal park districts in Illinois.
2. Facility Rentals: Revenue generated from renting facilities including the Shore Acres Clubhouse, North and South Pavilions, and Shore Acres Pool for private events. Fees vary between in-district and out-of-district rates.
3. Recreation Program Fees: Fees collected for recreational programs including swimming lessons (Aqua Tots, Small Group, Individual), toddler time sessions, and special events. Pricing varies by program type.
4. Daily Admission Fees: Revenue from daily pool admissions with tiered pricing for adults, seniors, and children. Children 3 and under are free with paid adult admission.
5. Government Grants: The district received a $600,000 Open Space Land Acquisition and Development (OSLAD) grant from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources for Shore Acres Park improvements in March 2023.
6. Sponsorships and Donations: The district accepts sponsorships and donations, including partnership opportunities that enhance facilities, programs, and services. Non-monetary charitable contributions are also accepted from 501(c)(3) organizations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Chillicothe Park District operates a portfolio of nine park facilities, an outdoor aquatic center, sports fields, walking trails, and playgrounds serving residents of Chillicothe, Illinois. It provides recreational programs including swimming lessons, pavilion and clubhouse rentals, signature community events, and special-needs recreation through the HISRA cooperative. Operations are funded primarily by property taxes, supplemented by program fees, facility rentals, government grants, and donations.

Product overview

The Chillicothe Park District is a public parks and recreation system operating as a unified portfolio of facilities, programs, and services. The core offering consists of nine distinct parks and recreation facilities: Coal Hollow Park (nature preserve), Nellie Jackson Park (riverside), Rome Youth Fields (youth sports), Santa Fe Park (train-themed community park), Shore Acres Park & Clubhouse (historic recreation complex), Shore Acres Pool (aquatic center), Stone Water Park, Walnut Dog Park, and Chillicothe Skate Park. Supporting these are complementary service lines including HISRA special needs recreation programs, swimming lesson instruction, facility rentals (pavilions and clubhouse), and signature events like the Chillicothe River & Rails Fest. The portfolio operates on a seasonal basis with peak programming in summer months.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• HISRA (Heart of Illinois Special Recreation Association): Cooperative extension of Chillicothe, Peoria, Morton, and Washington Park Districts providing quality recreation programs and services to individuals with disabilities and special needs.

Products and services

• Chillicothe Skate Park

Quantifiable outcome

• The CDC notes that availability of recreation facilities can result in 25% increase in residents engaging in regular physical activity
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Farnsworth GroupcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2023Professional services firm engaged for Shore Acres Park improvements project. Project services agreement reached June 2023.
• Heart of Illinois Special Recreation Association (HISRA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperative extension of Chillicothe, Peoria, Morton, and Washington Park Districts providing quality recreation programs and services to individuals with disabilities and special needs. Supports the spirit and intent of the Americans With Disabilities Act.
• National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA)minorOthersProfessional association providing research and advocacy resources. According to NRPA, thriving parks and recreation systems benefit communities economically, health-wise, and socially.
• Illinois Association of Park DistrictsminorOthersState association providing resources and advocacy for Illinois park districts.
• Pearce Community CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCombined effort with Pearce Community Center to add QR Fit Trail to Stone Water Park, allowing users to access workout information via smartphone.
• IVC Youth AthleticsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorYouth sports organization offering baseball, softball, and t-ball leagues at Rome Youth Fields from April through July.
• Chillicothe Parks FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit foundation supporting the park district through fundraising, donations, and special projects. Co-hosts events calendar and supports Shore Acres Master Plan through inclusive playground project.
• Illinois Department of Natural Resources - FishingminorOthersRetention Pond Areas at Stone Water Park and Fishing Guidelines are monitored and maintained by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Peoria Park District: Larger Illinois municipal park district that is a fellow HISRA cooperative partner with the Chillicothe Park District. Operates a comparable portfolio of pools, sports fields, parks, and recreation programs in central Illinois, making it the closest direct comparable for facility mix and funding model.
• Washington Park District: Central Illinois park district and HISRA cooperative partner. Operates comparable parks, aquatic, and recreation programs funded through property taxes, making it a directly comparable peer in structure and service offering.
• Morton Park District: Central Illinois park district that is also a HISRA cooperative partner. Operates a similar mid-sized municipal park portfolio including pools, sports facilities, and community programming, making it a closely comparable peer for size and service mix.

Broad incumbents

• Chicago Park District: Largest municipal park district in Illinois, operating pools, parks, sports facilities, and recreation programs funded primarily by property taxes. Comparable in structure and service offering but at vastly greater scale.
• Naperville Park District: Large Illinois park district operating an extensive portfolio of parks, pools, and recreation facilities funded via property taxes. Comparable in operating model and funding structure but significantly larger scale, useful as a broader incumbent benchmark.
• Forest Preserve District of Cook County: Large Illinois governmental entity managing nature preserves, trails, and recreation facilities. Comparable in providing publicly-funded nature-based recreation (similar to Coal Hollow Park) and operating under a tax-based funding model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/chilliparks
• Facebookfacebook.com/chillicotheparks
• Instagraminstagram.com/chilliparks
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/chillicotheparkdistrict

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 Chillicothe Park District