What Champaign Park District does

Champaign Park District is a special district of local government under Illinois state law, founded in 1895 and headquartered at 706 Kenwood Rd in Champaign, Illinois. The District operates 50+ parks, 16+ trails, and a portfolio of community facilities including the Leonhard and Hays Recreation Centers, Sholem Aquatic Center, Dodds and Lindsay Tennis Centers, Martens Center, Springer Cultural Center, Douglass Community Center, Bresnan Meeting Center, Prairie Farm, and the historic Virginia Theatre (opened 1921, restored 2013). It also co-operates the Champaign-Urbana Special Recreation (CUSR) program with Urbana Park District to deliver inclusive services for individuals with disabilities.

The District runs a broad programming portfolio spanning youth and adult athletics, aquatics (including the Sholem Sharks swim team), cultural arts (youth theatre, ceramics, music, dance), early childhood and preschool, afterschool care, summer camps, S.T.E.A.M. education, active seniors programs, pickleball, group fitness, community gardens, and memorial tree and bench dedications. Technology is limited to the Amilia third-party registration platform for program enrollment, pool passes, and facility rentals, plus Rainout Line for weather-driven event notifications; there is no proprietary software, mobile app, or AI/ML capability.

The business model is a hybrid public-funding structure: the primary revenue stream is a property tax levy (with an active 2025 Levy Estimate process), supplemented by transaction-based program and activity fees, facility and venue rentals (pavilions, meeting centers, pool passes, Virginia Theatre tickets), and donations/grants channeled through the Champaign Parks Foundation and the Ties & Tennies Gala. Customers are Champaign residents across youth/family, adult, senior, and disability segments, accessed via direct facility use, the online registration portal, and the CUSR partnership channel.

Name

Champaign Park District

Legal name

Champaign Park District

Website

https://champaignparks.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1895

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Champaign Park District is an Illinois special district of local government that operates 50+ parks, 16+ trails, and multiple recreation, aquatic, tennis, cultural, and historic theater facilities serving Champaign residents across youth, adult, senior, and disability segments.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Parks and Recreation Services

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219), Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (71394)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Parks, Recreation & Cultural Services (BPAIACAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Parks, Recreation & Protected Areas Administration (BPAIAMAH)

Keywords

• Parks and recreation
• Municipal recreation services
• Aquatic and sports facilities
• Youth and adult athletics
• Cultural arts programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Champaign

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Property Tax Levy: Primary funding source through property tax assessments. Referenced in 2025 Levy Estimate public hearing document.
2. Program and Activity Fees: Fees for youth athletics, adult athletics, aquatics programs, fitness, childcare, summer camps, S.T.E.A.M. programs, youth theatre, ceramics, music lessons, dance arts, and special recreation programs.
3. Facility and Venue Rentals: Revenue from park pavilion rentals, facility rentals for parties and events, pool passes, and Virginia Theatre ticket sales.
4. Donations and Grants: Champaign Parks Foundation fundraising through Ties & Tennies Gala and general donations.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Champaign Park District is a special district of local government that provides public parks, recreation facilities, trails, and community programs to Champaign, Illinois residents. It operates more than 50 parks, 16+ trails, multiple recreation and aquatic centers, tennis facilities, the historic Virginia Theatre, and cultural arts venues, and delivers programming across youth and adult athletics, aquatics, early childhood education, afterschool care, summer camps, S.T.E.A.M., cultural arts, senior recreation, and inclusive services through the CUSR cooperative.

Product overview

Champaign Park District is a local government agency managing a comprehensive portfolio of parks, recreation facilities, trails, and community programs across Champaign, Illinois. The District operates as a unified parks and recreation system offering facilities (Leonhard Recreation Center, Dodds Tennis Center, Sholem Aquatic Center, Martens Center, Virginia Theatre, CUSR Center, and others), 50+ parks and natural areas, 16+ miles of trails, and diverse recreation programs spanning youth and adult athletics, aquatics, cultural arts, early childhood education, afterschool care, summer camps, S.T.E.A.M. programs, and senior services. The District also owns and operates the historic Virginia Theatre and partners with Urbana Park District through Champaign-Urbana Special Recreation (CUSR) to provide inclusive programming for people of all abilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Champaign-Urbana Special Recreation (CUSR): Inclusive recreational activities formed through a cooperative agreement with the Champaign and Urbana Park Districts providing opportunities for people of all abilities.

Products and services

• Park Network (50+ Parks) A network of more than 50 parks across Champaign, including neighborhood parks, community parks, mini parks, a dog park (Champaign Bark District), and natural prairie areas such as Centennial Park, Hessel Park, and Johnston Park, available for public use with playgrounds, sports fields, and community spaces.
• Trail Network (16+ Trails) More than 16 paved and natural-surface trails for walking and cycling, including Greenbelt Bikeway Trail, Martin Luther King Trail, North Champaign Trail, Pipeline Trail, and others connecting Champaign neighborhoods.
• Leonhard Recreation Center A recreation center providing fitness, athletics, and wellness programs for community members of all ages.
• Sholem Aquatic Center Aquatic center featuring pools, swim programs, swim lessons, and the Sholem Sharks Swim Team for youth and adults.
• Dodds Tennis Center Tennis facility offering courts and youth and adult tennis programs, leagues, and lessons.
• Lindsay Tennis Center Tennis facility offering courts and tennis programming for the community.
• Martens Center Recreation facility serving the community with various programs and activities.
• Hays Recreation Center Recreation center providing community fitness and wellness programs.
• Douglass Community Center Community center offering programs and services to the local community.
• Springer Cultural Center Cultural center offering arts programming and community cultural activities.
• Prairie Farm Educational farm facility offering Prairie Farm Programs for community engagement.
• Bresnan Meeting Center Meeting center available for rentals and community events.
• CUSR Center (Champaign-Urbana Special Recreation) Inclusive recreation facility providing programs for people of all abilities through the CUSR cooperative with Urbana Park District.
• Virginia Theatre Historic theater originally opened in 1921 and restored in 2013, hosting movies and live entertainment events in downtown Champaign.
• Youth Athletics Programs Youth sports leagues and instruction including soccer, basketball, volleyball, softball, tennis, and martial arts for children.
• Adult Athletics Programs Adult sports leagues and programs including volleyball, softball, basketball, tennis, martial arts, and pickleball.
• Aquatics Programs Swimming lessons, lap swim, aquatic programs, and the Sholem Sharks Swim Team for youth and adults.
• Cultural Arts Programs Arts programming including art exhibits, Bach's Lunch concerts, youth theatre, ceramics, visual arts, music lessons, and dance arts conservatory.
• Early Childhood & Preschool Programs Early childhood education and preschool programs for young children.
• Afterschool Programs After-school childcare and activity programs for school-age children.
• Summer Camps Summer camp programs for children during school breaks.
• S.T.E.A.M. Programs Science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics educational programs for youth.
• Active Seniors Programs Recreation and wellness programs designed for seniors.
• Pickleball Programs Pickleball programming and leagues for all skill levels.
• Group Fitness Classes Fitness classes and wellness programs for community members.
• Park and Pavilion Rentals Rental services for parks and pavilions for private events and gatherings.
• Community Gardens Community garden plots available for residents to grow produce.
• Tree & Bench Programs Memorial and dedication programs allowing community members to honor individuals through trees and benches in parks.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Urbana Park DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperative agreement forming Champaign-Urbana Special Recreation (CUSR) to provide inclusive recreation opportunities for people with all abilities across both districts.
• Champaign Parks FoundationcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerNonprofit foundation supporting Champaign Park District through fundraising, scholarships, and the annual Ties & Tennies Gala event.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA): National nonprofit membership organization representing park and recreation agencies. Not an operator, but the apex industry body that sets accreditation standards, advocacy, and best-practice frameworks — including the 'Three Pillars' (Conservation, Health & Wellness, Social Equity) that Champaign Park District aligns with.

Broad incumbents

• Chicago Park District: The largest municipal park district in the U.S., operating 600+ parks, 70+ facilities, and the historic venues (theaters, museums, harbors). Operates under the same Illinois park-district governance framework as Champaign and serves as a broad-incumbent comparable for scope, programming, and asset stewardship.
• YMCA of the USA: National nonprofit operating community recreation centers with youth sports, aquatics, fitness, childcare, and summer camps — directly overlapping Champaign's program portfolio (especially the local Champaign-Ford County YMCA). Comparable on programming and mission, though structured as a private nonprofit rather than a public district.

Direct peers

• Arlington Heights Park District: Illinois special-purpose park district operating parks, pools, ice rinks, and recreation centers. Comparable in size, governance, and programming mix to Champaign Park District.
• Fox Valley Park District: Illinois special district serving Aurora/North Aurora. Operates recreation centers, aquatic facilities, sports complexes, and youth/adult programming under the same Illinois park-district model, providing a directly comparable mid-large district peer.
• Naperville Park District: Large Illinois special-purpose park district serving a comparable suburban/college-adjacent community with extensive parks, recreation centers, aquatic facilities, golf, and programming. Operates under the same IPRA/IAPD accreditation framework as Champaign and serves as a top-tier comparable for scale and programming breadth.
• Schaumburg Park District: Illinois special district serving Schaumburg with an extensive portfolio of parks, recreation centers, and athletic facilities (including a notable tennis center and waterpark). Comparable in scale, accreditation status, and programmatic diversity to Champaign Park District.
• Urbana Park District: Neighboring Illinois special district serving Urbana, IL. Operates parks, recreation centers, pools, and youth/adult athletics under the same Illinois park-district legal framework — and is also Champaign Park District's CUSR cooperative partner, making it the closest comparable operator by structure, mission, and service mix.
• Downers Grove Park District: Illinois special district operating recreation centers, athletic facilities, and a museum (Downers Grove Museum). Comparable in structure, scale, and community-programming focus to Champaign Park District.

Regional players

• Forest Preserve District of Cook County: Illinois special district managing 70,000+ acres of preserves, trails, and nature centers across Cook County. Overlaps with Champaign on trail/natural-area management but operates at a much larger natural-resource scale rather than municipal recreation programming.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/champark
• Facebookfacebook.com/ChampaignParkDist

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Champaign Park District