About Us

Board of Commissioners

The Decatur Park Board of Commissioners welcomes your comments and suggestions. To email board members or staff, please click on the names below.

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Staff

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Mission, Vision & Goals

The mission of the Decatur Park District is to enrich the community’s quality of life and economic vitality by providing outstanding parks, programs, facilities, and recreational opportunities.

Our vision is to be a park district of excellence that enhances our community’s growth, prosperity, and quality of life.

Our values include integrity, sustainability, service, partnership, and safety.

To fulfill our mission to enrich the community’s quality of life and economic vitality by providing outstanding parks, programs, facilities, and recreational opportunities, the Decatur Park District has established the following goals:

Integrity: Execute our duties ethically, with honesty and sincerity.

• Maintain an open-door policy in meeting with and responding to questions and concerns from the community.
• Promptly fulfill reasonable requests for public information.
• Complete annual audit of the District’s financial records and internal controls by a CPA firm.

Sustainability: Maintain efficient and effective use of financial, human, and environmental resources to ensure the long-term viability of the District.

• Protect and manage our natural resources and active recreation areas.
• Utilize the Master Plan Update to make decisions for the long-term good of the Park District and the community.
• Examine available revenue-generating options and potential new funding sources.

Service: Provide outstanding service to our entire community.

• Set District-wide customer service standards for all programs, facilities, and staff.
• Make quick, easy, and hassle-free registration and rental opportunities available to customers.
• Maintain electronic communications that are comprehensive, timely, and easily accessible.

Partnering: Collaborate with citizens, governmental entities, and private businesses to maximize community resources.

• Encourage community input into projects and programs.
• Continue to seek and strengthen partnerships and sponsorships to enhance cost-savings, facilities, and services.
• Engage individuals across the community to support the Decatur Park District and the Decatur Park District Foundation through monetary and volunteer support.

Safety: Establish a safety awareness that is in the best interest of our visitors, employees, and facilities.

• Maintain Park District Risk Management Agency “A” accreditation.
• Regularly inspect parks and facilities to provide a safe environment.
• Continue educating and training staff in safety techniques, programs, and procedures.

Annual Report

To view the Decatur Park District’s 2012 Annual Report, please click the link below.
Decatur Park District 2012 Annual Report

Organizational Chart

To view the Decatur Park District’s Organizational Chart, please click the link below.
Decatur Park District Organizational Chart

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Our Code

The Decatur Park District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, age, or handicap in admission to, or treatment, or employment, in programs or activities in compliance with the Illinois Human Rights Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended, and the U.S. Constitution. The Equal Employment Opportunity Officer is responsible for compliance and may be reached at 422-5911.

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We Care About Your Safety

The Decatur Park District is concerned for the safety of visitors to our parks and facilities and strives to ensure that playground equipment, park grounds, and all facilities remain in excellent condition. Please help us in this effort. Follow safety rules posted at park sites and note age designations for appropriate use of playground equipment. If you see or hear of vandalism to park property, find broken playground equipment, or discover anything else you consider hazardous, please call the Park District at 422-5911.

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Insurance

While the Park District is committed to conducting recreation programs and activities in the safest manner possible, an inherent risk of injury exists with any recreational activity. The Decatur Park District continually strives to reduce such risks and insists that all participants follow rules and instructions that have been designed to protect their safety. The Decatur Park District does not carry medical accident insurance for injuries sustained on its property or in its programs as the cost of such insurance would make program fees cost-prohibitive.

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Behavior/Conduct Policy

The following guidelines have been developed to help make Decatur Park District programs safe and enjoyable for all. The Park District reserves the right to develop additional rules for programs and athletic leagues as deemed necessary by staff and the Park Board of Commissioners. Participants are asked to:

• Show respect to all participants and staff
• Refrain from using foul language
• Refrain from causing bodily harm to others
• Refrain from damaging equipment, supplies and facilities

The Decatur Park District is the focal point for parks, recreation, and aviation activity in the greater Decatur area. The District operates 2,000 acres of park land, an indoor sports center, regional airport, three golf courses, softball, soccer and tennis complexes, athletic fields, a community aquatic center, AZA-accredited zoo,  equestrian center, and a banquet, food & beverage business. The Decatur Park District strives to enrich the lives of all in our community and continues to earn honors for its partnerships and service excellence.  

In 2000, the Decatur Park District was an NRPA Gold Medal Finalist and recipient of the Great Lakes Region Partnership Award. Decatur has also been recognized as an IAPD/IPRA Distinguished Agency since 1999.

In 2010, the District proudly received two IAPD “Best of the Best” Awards, including the Illinois Arts Alliance “Arts in the Park” award and “Best Friend of Illinois Parks – Large Business: Tate & Lyle.” In 2012, Decatur Park District earned the IAPD “Best Friend of Illinois Parks – Large Business” for its partnership with Decatur Memorial Hospital and an “Intergovernmental Cooperation Award” for its collaboration with Decatur Public School District #61.  At the IAPD conference in January 2013, Park Board President Chris Riley was named Commissioner of the Year.

Scovill Zoo earned re-accreditation by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums in 2011. Finally, the District’s cultural arts programs have won the NRPA Dottie Mullen Award for Arts & Humanities twice – something never before achieved by a park district.