A Brief History
The Pleasure Driveway and Park District of Peoria, organized in 1894, was the first park system formed in Illinois. Seventy years later in 1963, the City of Peoria Playground and Recreation Department merged with the Park District, thus expanding the potential program and facility responsibilities of the Park District.

Today the Peoria Park District’s boundaries encompass approximately 60 square miles in Peoria County. Its park and open space holdings in the City of Peoria, Peoria Heights and outlying townships approach 9000 acres. Much of the land was acquired through matching grants from the federal Land-Water-Conservation Fund, the Illinois Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development program and many generous gifts and donations. The Peoria Park District ranks first in the state and is one of the top public park systems in the nation based on its ratio of open-space holdings to population.

Besides being one of the oldest and largest park districts in the state, the Peoria Park District has also been recognized as an outstanding example of what parks and recreation is all about. The district has been awarded the National Recreation and Park Association’s Gold Medal Award three times and is also one of first Illinois park districts to be accredited as a Distinguished Park District.

Our mission remains clear: To enrich life in our community through stewardship of the environment and through provision of quality recreation and leisure opportunities.

Funding
The Peoria Park District’s annual operating budget is approximately $40 million. Increased emphasis on public and private partnerships over the past several years has resulted in significant funds to assist in the completion of noteworthy projects ranging from a hiking trail to an inner city aquatic facility to a far north neighborhood park. Donations from local corporations, organizations and individuals have also provided valuable support. Less than 40% of our budget is derived from property taxes, with the remainder from other revenue sources including fees and charges, grants and donations.

By focusing efforts toward developing partnerships with other public and private organizations or businesses in order to expand services, the District has been able to multiply its development dollars. For instance, the District partnered with a local hospital, a local foundation, and the City of Peoria to develop the RiverPlex, a 120,000 square foot recreation and wellness center. The District has twice in recent years partnered with local developers for the development of neighborhood parks. Future plans include completing the hiking/biking trail through Peoria, as well as a trail connecting two outlying bluff facilities with the assistance of state and federal grants, and significantly expanding Peoria’s Zoo with funding from the Peoria Zoological Society.

Park Board
The Peoria Park District is governed by a volunteer, elected Board of Trustees. Six trustees from three separate voting districts are elected for four-year terms. The Park Board President is elected at large for a four-year term. Board meetings are held on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month. The public is invited to attend.

Staff
The District operates with a full-time staff of 187 people consisting of administrators, recreation programmers, police and facility maintenance personnel. In the summer and during other peak-activity periods, the Park District employs more than 1,100 people to fill part-time jobs. The staff at every level is extremely service-oriented, responding to the needs of the community.

To keep pace with community growth and desires, the Peoria Park District employs a professional design staff to oversee the planning, design and construction of new parks, as well as improvements to existing parks and facilities. In order to meet the expanding recreational needs of Peoria area residents, the Park District forms cooperative agreements with a variety of local concerns, both public and private, finding solutions to problems arising with specific-interest leisure programs. The agreements range from formal policy statements and written contracts to mutual understandings and verbal agreements. Whether facilities or recreation programmers are needed, the Park District is prepared to help. In keeping with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the district also makes reasonable accommodation to disabled individuals who meet essential eligibility requirements.