What Round Lake Area Park District does

Round Lake Area Park District is a special purpose unit of local government in Illinois, established in 1974, that operates parks, recreation facilities, and programs for residents of five villages: Round Lake, Round Lake Beach, Round Lake Heights, Round Lake Park, and Hainesville. The district is governed by an elected Board of Commissioners and currently led by Executive Director Katie Gamroth. Its core service offering spans facility operations (Robert W. Rolek Community Center, a 50,000 sq ft Sports Center, an Aquatics Center, Children's Neighborhood Museum, Prairie Grass Nature Museum, Special Recreation Center, Renwood Golf Course, and a multi-park system including Hart's Woods, North Shore Park, and the Avon Baseball Complex) and a diverse program catalog including youth sports (Hot Shots soccer, baseball, flag football, ninja warriors), nature and outdoor education, early childhood and preschool programming, dance and performing arts, senior activities (50+), and summer camps. The district does not develop proprietary technology; operations run on third-party registration software (Active Networks) and standard web/social channels (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, Pinterest, email newsletter, bilingual seasonal brochures via Calameo).

The district's revenue model combines transactional program fees (with two-tier in-district/out-of-district pricing such as $95/$105 for Adult-Tot Soccer and $150/$165 for Pee Wee Gymnastics), facility and pavilion rentals, recurring pool passes and memberships, and supplemental funding from the affiliated 501(c)(3) Friends of the Round Lake Area Parks Foundation (which has supported 500+ children via scholarships and partnered on 10+ grants in the past five years). Customer segments are broad and horizontally distributed across families with children, active adults 50+, nature enthusiasts, and event organizers/renters; go-to-market is community-led through word-of-mouth, email newsletters, printed guides, social media, and an Advertising & Partner Program engaging local sponsors. Strategic direction is anchored by the 2026 brand refresh, the Fawcett Park land acquisition, and the repurposing of the Avon Baseball Complex, signaling measured, asset-led growth rather than rapid scaling.

Name

Round Lake Area Park District

Legal name

Round Lake Area Park District

Website

https://rlapd.org

Company type

Public

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Round Lake Area Park District is an Illinois public park district serving five villages with recreation facilities, parks, and programs spanning youth sports, aquatics, nature education, performing arts, and senior activities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Recreation Services

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219), Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (71394), Recreational and Vacation Camps (except Campgrounds) (721214)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Parks, Recreation & Cultural Services (BPAIACAI)

Keywords

• Public park district
• Recreation programs
• Community facilities
• Youth sports leagues
• Nature education

Headquarters

HQ city

Round Lake

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, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Program Fees: Fees collected from recreational programs including sports, nature activities, youth programs, adult fitness classes, and special events.
2. Facility Rentals: Revenue from renting community rooms, gymnasiums, pavilions, and sports facilities for private events, parties, and meetings.
3. Annual Passes/Memberships: Pool passes and facility memberships providing recurring access to district amenities.
4. Foundation Donations and Grants: The Friends of the Round Lake Area Parks Foundation raises funds for scholarships and capital projects. The district has also partnered on over 10 grants in the past 5 years.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Round Lake Area Park District is a special-purpose unit of local government established in 1974 that operates public parks, community centers, sports facilities, an aquatics center, a nature museum, and a golf course serving the villages of Round Lake, Round Lake Beach, Round Lake Heights, Round Lake Park, and Hainesville in Illinois. The district provides recreation programs including youth sports leagues, nature and environmental education, early childhood classes, senior activities, dance and performing arts, and summer camps. It also rents facilities, sells annual passes, accepts donations, and offers scholarship assistance for program participation.

Product overview

Round Lake Area Park District operates as a multi-facility recreation provider offering a diverse portfolio of parks, facilities, programs, and services. The district manages major facilities including the Robert W. Rolek Community Center (administration hub with Child Development Center, Children's Neighborhood Museum, gymnasium, and dance studio), the 50,000 sq. ft. Sports Center (indoor soccer, basketball, volleyball), Aquatics Center, Prairie Grass Nature Museum, Special Recreation Center, and Renwood Golf Course. The parks system encompasses multiple community parks with pavilions and recreational amenities. Programming includes youth sports (Hot Shots series), nature and outdoor education, early childhood programs, senior activities (50+), dance and performing arts, and summer camps. Additional services include facility and park rentals, birthday party packages, scholarship programs, and the Friends of the Round Lake Area Parks Foundation for fundraising and community support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Youth Sports Leagues Organized seasonal sports leagues for children and youth living in the Round Lake area, including registration through the district's online portal and play at district fields and facilities.
• Nature and Environmental Education Programs Nature-focused classes, programs, and museum-based educational experiences for families, school groups, and community members, offered at the district's nature museum and outdoor sites.
• Early Childhood Programs Classes and activities designed for preschool-aged children in the Round Lake area, offered through the district's community programming.
• Senior Activities and Special Events Recreational activities, social gatherings, and special events for adults aged 50 and over, supervised by the district's senior activities coordinator.
• Dance and Performing Arts Programs Performing and cultural arts classes, including dance instruction and performance opportunities, offered to community members under the district's performing arts supervisor.
• Summer Camps Seasonal day camp programs for children, hosted at district parks and facilities during the summer break.
• Community Center Facility Rentals Rental of the district's Community Center spaces for private events, meetings, and gatherings by residents and community groups.
• Sports Center Facility Rentals Rental of the district's Sports Center for athletic events, practices, tournaments, and related uses.
• Aquatics Center Services Public swimming, swim lessons, lap swim, and aquatic programming operated at the district's aquatics facility.
• Renwood Golf Course Public golf course operated by the district, offering tee times, leagues, and golf-related programming for area residents and visitors.
• Park Shelter and Field Rentals Rental of park shelters, picnic areas, athletic fields, and related outdoor spaces for community and private events.
• Birthday Party Packages Hosted birthday party experiences for children at district facilities, including themed programming and dedicated party space.
• Scholarship Program Financial assistance program that subsidizes participation fees for district recreation programs for qualifying residents.
• Annual Passes and Memberships Annual passes and memberships providing access to district facilities such as the aquatics center and other amenities.
• Memorial and Dedication Program Memorial bench, tree, and dedication donation program that allows community members to contribute funds and have items placed in district parks.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 500 children have attended summer camp through scholarship support since early 2000s
• +2 more outcomes

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

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Friends of the Round Lake Area Parks FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe 501(c)(3) foundation raises money to support programs of the Round Lake Area Park District. Provides scholarships for recreation programs and summer camp. Has helped over 500 children attend summer camp since early 2000s. Supported playground renovations, Special Olympic uniforms, facility improvements, and has partnered on over 10 grants.
• Friends of RenwoodminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity development partner supporting the Renwood Golf Course operations.
• Avon TownshipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJointly owns the 10-acre Avon Baseball Complex property with the district and Grayslake Park District. Collaborating on transition of the site into a public community park.
• Grayslake Park DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJointly owns the Avon Baseball Complex property with the district and Avon Township. Partner in fire academy training at the Avon Complex location.
• Lake Villa-Lindenhurst-Round Lake Area Chamber of CommerceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity development partner representing local business community.
• Village of HainesvilleminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOne of five villages served by the district; community development partner.
• Village of Round LakeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOne of five villages served by the district; transferred Fawcett Park property to the district for development.
• Village of Round Lake BeachminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOne of five villages served by the district; community development partner.
• Village of Round Lake HeightsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOne of five villages served by the district; community development partner.
• Village of Round Lake ParkminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOne of five villages served by the district; community development partner.
• Round Lake Area Public LibraryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity development partner; cross-promotion of community services.
• Round Lake Beach Cultural & Civic CenterminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity development partner; hosts events including Band Concert.
• Grant TownshipminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity development partner.
• Special Recreation Association of Central Lake County (SRACLC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSRACLC runs programs at the Special Recreation Center facility, which is owned by the district. Provides inclusive recreational programs for individuals with disabilities.
• Huebner Fishery Management FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSponsor of the Annual Family Fishing Event and Reptiles & Amphibians Mini-Camp. Supports fishery management and water resource education. The new district logo features a wave tribute to this foundation.
• Upland Design Ltd.minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerRetained by the district to assist with planning process for Fawcett Park development.
• Gymnastics FactoryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner facility hosting Pee Wee Gymnastics and Mini & Me Gymnastics programs at 888 E. Belvidere Suite #202, Grayslake.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Libertyville Park District: Adjacent Lake County park district offering parks, recreation, and cultural programs to a similar suburban Illinois community.
• Hawthorn Woods Park District: Lake County park district delivering parks, recreation programs, and facility rentals to a comparable suburban Illinois village cluster.
• Mundelein Park & Recreation District: Adjacent Lake County park district providing parks, aquatics, fitness, and recreation programming for a similar suburban Illinois catchment.
• Grayslake Community Park District: Neighboring Lake County, IL park district offering parks, recreation programs, and facilities. Co-owns the Avon Baseball Complex with Round Lake Area Park District and serves an overlapping community.
• Fox Lake Park District: Nearby Lake County park district serving a similar suburban/recreational community with parks, programs, and aquatic facilities.
• Lake Zurich Parks & Recreation: Adjacent Lake County park/recreation provider offering parks, sports, aquatics, and programming for a comparable suburban community.
• Lindenhurst Park District: Lake County park district offering comparable parks, recreation programming, and community facilities to a similar residential base.
• Gurnee Park District: Lake County park district operating parks, recreation programs, and facilities for a comparable suburban Illinois catchment.
• Wauconda Park District: Lake County park district offering parks, recreation programs, and facility rentals to a comparable suburban community footprint.

Broad incumbents

• Park District of Highland Park: Larger, more established Lake County park district operating an extensive portfolio of parks, facilities, and recreation programs — offering overlapping capabilities but at greater scale than Round Lake Area Park District.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/rlaparkdistrict
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@roundlakeareaparkdistrict3515
• Facebookfacebook.com/rlapd
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/round-lake-area-park-district
• Instagraminstagram.com/roundlakeareaparkdistrict
• Pinterestpinterest.com/rlapd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries3 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 Round Lake Area Park District