The spring softball season is well underway at the Naperville Park District, with more options than ever for all ages. For those who want to gather friends, family, and neighbors for a casual game at a neighborhood park, the Park District maintains backstops at the following parks throughout the community:

Bainbridge Greens         1112 Bainbridge Drive
Mill Street Park              1312 N. Mill Street
Kendall Park                  84 W. 5th Avenue
Seager Park                  1163 Plank Rd.
Brush Hill Park               203 N. Whispering Hills Road
Wil-O-Way Park             1408 W. Jefferson Avenue
Hobson Grove               1152 Blue Larkspur Lane
Westglen Park               1560 Westglen Drive
Spring-Field Park           2031 Springside Circle
Old Farm Park               195 Ring Road
Old Sawmill Park           432 Massachusetts Avenue
Knoch Knolls                 336 Knoch Knolls Road
Walnut Ridge Park         2304 Keim Drive
Monarch Park                1585 White Eagle Drive
Summerfield Lake         2003 Skylane Dr.
River Run Park              4136 Clearwater Drive
A. George Pradel Park   4519 Pradel Drive
Tall Grass Park             3512 Grassmere Road

Newest softball fields and backstops
One of the newest backstops was installed at Seager Park in 2011. Seager Park also offers a large pavilion that may be rented for larger gatherings, and there is plenty of open space for an informal picnic, a walk in the woods, or a pickup game of sand volleyball or basketball.

Seager Park Interpretive Center, located at 1163 Plank Rd. This park has a new backstop and field on the east side.

The Park District just completed renovating two softball fields and four baseball fields at Knoch Park, adding new bleachers, concrete pads, and fencing.  The new playground, picnic shelter and restroom building provide everything needed for fans and families.  The sports lighting also was renovated at Knoch Park in 2010.

One of the renovated ball fields at Knoch Park located at 812 S. West St.

Softball leagues
For those who enjoy friendly competition, the Park District offers men’s, women’s, master’s, co-rec , and girls’ leagues. Community athletic organizations such as Diamonds Softball provide additional opportunities for competitive play on Park District fields.

The Tommy Nevin’s Spring Tune Up Men’s Softball Tournaments
The 12” and 16” softball tournaments were held the weekends of April 21-22 and 28-29 at Frontier Sports Complex. Twelve men’s softball teams competed in the 12” Softball Tournament April 21-22.  Tommy Nevin’s Precision scored a decisive win over Tommy Nevin’s Goodwood to clench the championship. Eight teams battled for the 16” championship the next weekend. Although Saturday games were rained out, all of the games were able to be played on Sunday. Elite won the finals, defeating Zing in a score of 14-7. For more details, view the 12" tournament results here and the 16" tournament results here.

What’s Mushball? 
Mushball is simply softball played with a 14” ball that is extra soft and squishy.  The Park District’s Co-Rec League plays Mushball on weekday evenings at Knoch Park; teams play with 6 men and 6 women.  Only the women wear gloves and the players alternate by gender in the lineup and in their field positions.  Top teams from each evening will meet in the playoffs in August. Photos and more details are available in a recent article by Positively Naperville.

Get involved
Whether you cheer for your family member’s team or join a team yourself, there are plenty of opportunities to enjoy softball this season. It’s not too late to join a girls’ softball team this year!  Girls’ play starts the week of May 14. Learn more or register here.  Additionally, the Men’s 50+ Softball League meets weekly for informal games and always has room for more players.

 
Tommy Nevin's Spring Tune Up Softball Tournament 2012

With the addition of the new bicycle bridge and the DuPage River Trail at Knoch Knolls, more people have been walking or riding through the beautiful woodland.  In addition to the new paved trail, there are established grass, gravel, and mulch trails that allow visitors to see much more of the natural landscape. While the park has much to offer in every season, spring is especially lovely with the spring flowers blooming.

Bluebells under the trees in the Knoch Knolls picnic grove
 

Bluebells among the May-apples in the woods at Knoch Knolls

The photos here are from a walk taken in Knoch Knolls on Thursday, April 5, when the Bluebells were in full bloom in the picnic grove and scattered throughout the woods.  We also saw May-apples, Dutchman’s Britches, and Red Trillium. Wildlife sightings included several deer and a bluebird.

The prairie had just been through a controlled burn, which helps to keep the weeds under control and allows the native plants to flourish.  In just a few weeks, this prairie will be green and lush.



My favorite part of the walk was reaching the confluence, where the East and West Branches of the DuPage River come together. The sun sparkled on the water in a scene that seemed miles away from the busy streets of Naperville.

Come out and explore Knoch Knolls for yourself!  The trails are waiting and there is much to be discovered. 

The tulips and daffodils are blooming on the Riverwalk, in pink, yellow, white, and purple, a mix of spring colors designed to look like Easter eggs in a basket.
 

Tulips in bloom in front of the Park District Administration Building

Daffodils at the Riverwalk

I was curious about what goes into the planning of the Riverwalk flower beds and how the unusually warm spring weather might affect this year’s plantings. Naperville Park District Park Specialist Ron Kwak, who plans both the spring bulbs and the annuals, was able to tell me more.  Here’s a Q and A summarizing what I learned about the beautiful floral displays gracing our Riverwalk, Centennial Beach, and the other downtown areas maintained by the Park District.

Q:  Just how early are the Riverwalk bulbs this year?
A: A full month early. Last year, the tulips began breaking through the ground on April 2; this year it happened by March 4.

 
  Ron Kwak, Efren T. Perez and Israel Ruiz

Q:  How will the early bloom affect the Naperville Park District’s annual bulb sale? 
A:  As in previous years, the Naperville Park District will make the bulbs available to the public at the annual bulb sale on May 11.  The bulbs most likely will be without the stems and leaves at the time of the bulb sale. Customers can store them over the summer in a cool, dark place and plant them in the fall.

Q:  How many bulbs did your staff plant last fall for this spring’s bloom?
A:  Two staff members, Efren T. Perez and Israel Ruiz, planted 13,000 bulbs in just two days last October. They have a big drill and know how to use it!  We are proud of the excellent work that they do to keep the Riverwalk beautiful.





Q:  Why do you plant new bulbs each year?
A: The tulip beds are also the annual beds. In most years, the tulips would not die back in time to clear the beds for the annuals, which must be planted in mid-May. In order to ensure that a bulb left in place will flower the following year, the dying leaves and stems of the tulips must remain undisturbed until their nutrients are absorbed into the bulb. Even if left the bulbs in place, they may only flower for the next 2 or 3 years.

Q:  Speaking of annuals, what displays do we have to look forward to around the Riverwalk and Centennial Beach this summer?
A:  You will see a splash of color—blue, orange, purple, red, yellow, with New Guinea impatiens, heliotrope marine, croton, and chili peppers. The Beach will have a tropical theme, with palms and banana trees. The banana trees grow fine as annuals in our climate, though they won’t produce bananas for us!

 

Heliotrope marine. Photo courtesy of www.flowerinfo.org

 
Croton. Photo courtesy of www.flowerinfo.org.

Q:  The ornamental grasses along the Riverwalk are beautiful as well.  What are some of the varieties that you plant?
A: We started planting ornamental grasses about ten years ago and they are doing well. They require little maintenance, nothing eats them, and they thrive in the sun. Fountain grass, or pennisetum, provides a nice accent and is hardy.  We also plant feather reed grass.

Q:  How many annuals does the Park District plant along the Riverwalk and surrounding areas?
A:  We are planning to plant 12,383 plants within a week’s time, depending on the weather.

Grand reopening
The Naperville Park District invites the community to the grand re-opening of Knoch Park on Saturday, April 7 at 9:30 a.m.  Although the layout of the park is the same, the Park District completed major renovations in the fall of 2011, including a new playground, a new restroom building, a multi-use trail connecting the fields, a picnic shelter, and upgrades to the baseball and softball fields.

The April 7 celebration will begin with remarks from dignitaries from the Naperville Park District, the City of Naperville, and Naperville Little League. The VFW will post the colors for the ceremony and a vocal ensemble from Naperville Central High School will lead the singing of our national anthem.

Following the ceremony, guests are invited to stay for the opening game of Naperville Little League’s 60th anniversary season. The V. F. W. Cardinals (home), coached by Paul Spitz, will face the Naperville Baseball Academy Cubs (away), coached by Troy Jackson. The first 100 spectators will receive free Crackerjacks.

About Knoch Park
Knoch Park is part of the 200-acre parcel of land in the Caroline Martin-Mitchell estate, donated to the Naperville community for public use. Other key community assets developed from this land include Naper Settlement, Edward Hospital, the Garden Plots, Naperville Central High School, and the Von Oven scout campgrounds. Knoch Park was deeded to the Naperville Park District in 1969. The park was named for Judge Win Knoch, who was instrumental in inspiring the Martin-Mitchell family to donate the land to benefit the community.

 Home of Ribfest, Knoch Park is one of the community’s busiest parks. New, energy-efficient sports lighting installed in 2010 allows evening ball games and tennis play from early spring through late fall. The new multi-use trail offers downtown Naperville visitors and employees another venue for a brisk lunchtime walk and also provides easier access to the park’s baseball, softball, and football fields. Families already are enjoying the new playground, and it includes a picnic shelter and a restroom just a few yards away.

Green Features
With assistance from two state grants, the Naperville Park District was able to add sustainable improvements to the park.  The new solar voltaic panels on the roof of the restroom building generate energy for the building and can send surplus power back through the grid. Native plants along the trail reduce energy use for mowing and also filter stormwater and increase biodiversity.   An underground cistern stores up to 10,000 gallons of rainwater for use in irrigating the fields.

Athletics at Knoch Park
The athletic fields at Knoch Park host many community athletic organizations, including:
• Naperville Little League Baseball
• Naperville Baseball Association
• Naperville Diamonds Softball Association
• St. Raphael’s Football
• Naperville Youth Football League
• Naperville Central High School Athletics
• Park District Leagues

The Park District is proud to welcome players and spectators of all ages to the newly improved fields and facilities at one of Naperville’s favorite parks.
We hope to see you enjoying Knoch Park this spring and summer!

When was the last time our kids were free to spend an afternoon exploring the woods or catching tadpoles in a creek?  Safety concerns, our busy, overscheduled lives, and our dependence on cars and electronic devices have chipped away at children’s outdoor playtime, leaving them disconnected from the natural world.

Sarah Wilkins: The Park District’s new nature program coordinator
Growing up in a family that intentionally spent lots of time outdoors, Sarah Wilkins, who recently joined the Naperville Park District staff as a naturalist/educator, is acutely aware of the “nature deficit disorder” that kids often experience today.

“As a girl growing up in the suburbs, my parents emphasized the importance of spending time in natural areas.  They took us to the woods, on hikes, to the lake, and out into the wilderness. They instilled in me a love of nature, and now I want to pass that along to the next generation, “explained Wilkins.  “Today, play time is often filled with video games and television—electronic devices are replacing outdoor play time that feeds imagination and creativity.    It’s incredibly important that children get exposure to nature for this very reason.  They need to be outdoors making discoveries.”

Sarah Wilkins comes to the Naperville Park District with a B.S. in Environmental Science from the University of Vermont.  She has worked as a nature instructor at the Morton Arboretum, as a research assistant at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, and as an ecologist for a non-profit in the Seattle, Washington area.
 
Sarah Wilkins

Nature Programs for Spring and Summer
Judging by the list of classes and camps Wilkins has planned for this spring and summer, kids from ages 3 to 14 will have plenty of opportunities to explore nature.  Beginning the first week of March, the Eco-Explorers Classes will meet at the new interpretive center at Seager Park, focusing on a different animal or nature theme each week. In the summer, kids will be able to learn how to garden, through Green Thumbs—a gardening camp for ages 4-6—and Gardening 101 for middle school students, where participants will plant and tend their own garden plot.  Other camps will explore archeology, wetlands, bugs, slimy creatures, prairies, the DuPage River, nocturnal animals, and turtles.  A nature photography and sketching class will help kids observe their surroundings, capture nature images on film, and practice journaling about their experiences.

Not all of the new nature classes and camps are listed in the Summer Camps Guide; there are more to come in the Summer Program Guide, due to be released April 19. 
 
  Eco-Explorers learn about owls from The Owl Lady Feb. 23 at Seager Park.

Save the Date for EcoFest 2012, featuring a live birds of prey show! 
The event will take place from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 12th at the Riverwalk Grand Pavilion. This new, eco-themed kickoff event is free to the public.  All are welcome!  Details to follow on our website.

Magical Starlight Theatre: “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat”
While we are fortunate to live just a short distance from Chicago theatres, we also can take advantage of high quality, engaging performances in Naperville for a fraction of the cost.  For example, just last week, the Naperville Park District’s Magical Starlight Theatre finished a two-week run of “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” at Naperville Central High School auditorium.

I was able to attend one of the Saturday evening performances and thoroughly enjoyed the show. It was fun, colorful, and full of surprises. The chorus and orchestra sounded bigger than their numbers, with the children’s voices adding freshness and charm. Joel Hamilton was a natural in playing Joseph, with his strong, pleasing singing voice. The evening flew by, with the cast enjoying the performance as much as the audience did.

Joseph and his brothers

From the scene with the Egyptian official, Potiphar

Magical Starlight Theatre will return in the fall of 2012 with a play and in January 2013 with a musical, both of which have not yet been selected.  Interested in participating in these productions?  Community actors from fourth grade up through adult are encouraged to audition. Watch for announcements in upcoming Park District Program Guides.

Élan Dance Company:  “String Theory”
Another performance which took place in January involved the Park District’s Élan Dance Company. Following their debut of a modern dance interpretation of “String Theory” in Michigan City last fall, the Élan Dance Company performed “String Theory” on Sunday, January 22 in a free workshop at the Yorkville Public Library. The workshop included an educational Q and A session with Élan’s artistic director Melissa Sallée and the Company. “The audience loved the performance and the discussion that followed,” said Sallée. “The dancers answered questions about both their training in dance and the artistic process of creating pieces,” she said.

The Élan Dance Company is now preparing for their next major event, which is the annual Showcase at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 17 at Naperville North High School auditorium. The performance is for audiences of all ages and features an eclectic collection of dances from classical ballet to jazz and modern dance. The Showcase promises to be another special evening of performing arts in Naperville. Hope to see you there!

   
   Élan Dance Company at the Yorkville Library. Photo by Melissa Sallée.

String Theory performance at the Yorkville Library.
Photo by Melissa Sallée

5. Skating and sledding – Free!
When cold temperatures and snow allow, head out to one of the Park District’s sled hills or outdoor skating areas. Locations are listed here. We even have a special snowboarding hill at Weigand Park. Check here for opening and closing information.

Skaters enjoy the outdoor skating area at Gartner Park.

4. Visit one of our playgrounds – Free!
Did you know that the Park District offers 67 playgrounds throughout the Naperville community? Playgrounds are open year round. On those long, winter days with no snow to play in, bundle up and bring the kids out to try a new playground or your family’s favorite. Our newest playground was installed in the fall of 2011 at Knoch Park, located at 812 S. West St.


Our newest playground at Knoch Park is open on S. West St.   

Families enjoy the ever-popular Jaycee Playground on the Riverwalk.

                           3. Take a winter trail walk – Free!
The Riverwalk is open year round, with snow removal and maintenance performed by the Naperville Park District. Other trails throughout the District may be snow covered, but are open and offer a quiet environment for a refreshing winter walk. The DuPage River Trail that winds through Pioneer Park, Knoch Knolls, and DuPage River Park is maintained for both cross country skiing and walking.

2. Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat – Jan. 20-22 and Jan. 27-29 – Only $8 per ticket (purchased in advance) or $10 at the door.
Magical Starlight Theatre presents this entertaining musical featuring talented youth and adult actors from our community. Tickets are available at www.napervilleparks.org.  Shows take place at Naperville Central High School’s auditorium.

Joseph (Joel Hamilton) proudly displays his coat of many colors. Photo by Susan Hobson.

1. Table Tennis Tournament – Feb. 11 – Free for spectators, $8 or $10 for participants
Players of all ages can participate in this fun tournament, sponsored by the Naperville Table Tennis Club and the Naperville Park District. Matches run from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at River Woods School.

We hope you will enjoy both indoor and outdoor fun this winter!

   
    Spectators watch multiple matches at the 2011 Table Tennis Tournament.

In 2011, the Naperville Art League celebrated its 50th anniversary. Congratulations to this fine organization! The Naperville Park District is proud to partner with the Art League to offer a variety of art classes for both children and adults. 

Beginners as well as experienced artists are welcome in any of the League’s classes. “Students can work at their own pace and can learn from each other,” said Debbie Venezia, executive director of the Art League since 2002.

Along with its own art classes, the Naperville Park District lists Art League classes for kids and adults in each season’s Program Guide, and art camps in the annual Summer Camps Guide.

One local adult student, Sam Dalinis, began taking “Oil Painting in a Day” as a beginner approximately 10 years ago. “I wanted something else to do outside of work,” he said. He enjoyed the class so much that he enrolled continuously in it for many years. “The teachers are good, and it’s a lot of fun to get together with other people. The class is interactive and small enough so that you get the attention you need from the instructor.”



Oil paintings by Sam Dalinis

Although Dalinis is no longer enrolled in the oil painting class, he still is enjoying his art and has moved on to acrylic painting.

Debbie Venezia has seen many aspiring artists grow and flourish through art classes and other means of support offered by the Naperville Art League. “They come here, get involved with the Art League, and then reach a level of professionalism where they can support themselves through their art,” she said. “We help them find an audience.”

The Art League’s biggest event each year is the Riverwalk Fine Arts Fair in September, which is a juried show, and one of the top outdoor art fairs in the country.  The League also supports artists through networking and sending frequent e-mail updates about other exhibits and commission work.

If you want to begin learning more about painting, woodcarving, pottery, or any other visual art, the Naperville Park District and the Naperville Art League have classes to fit your interest.  Or if you are an experienced artist and would like to fine-tune your technique, or enjoy practicing your art with others, classes such as “Painting Techniques: Advanced” are available starting in January.

We encourage you to step out and try something new, to grow your creative side, and to experience the benefits of art, from stress reduction and personal enrichment to creating art to share with others, or even launching a career.  

About Seager Park
Those who were able to attend the Oct. 22 opening of the new interpretive center at Seager Park got a glimpse of the beauty of this wooded park, tucked away on Plank Road on Naperville’s north side. In addition to the 20 acres of unspoiled woodlands, Seager Park, newly redeveloped, features open fields for baseball, soccer, or other field games, basketball and volleyball courts, a walking trail, picnic shelter, and a fire pit with a council ring.

Seager Park Interpretive Center. Photo by Lambros Photography, Inc.

The new interpretive center‘s classroom houses the Park District’s nature preschool program, Toadstools and Pollywogs, during weekday preschool hours. The center also has a large deck and a small lobby area with restrooms, open to the public whenever the park is open (from dawn to dusk).  By the end of 2011, two large educational signs will be added, one on the deck and one overlooking the wetland near the interpretive center.  In 2012, four additional signs will be in installed, completing the story of the park’s natural history, human history, plant and animal habitats, and the flow of water through the park.

Nature Programs coming this winter
The new park amenities together with the large wooded area make Seager Park a fitting location for nature programs and all kinds of outdoor recreational and educational activities. Beginning in January, the Naperville Park District is offering a variety of nature programs at Seager Park and other locations for all ages.

Young children can learn about how animals survive our cold, Illinois winters, explore the winter landscape, and even celebrate Groundhog Day by learning more about this special animal. A series of nature classes for elementary school kids will include outdoor experiences learning about snow, raccoons, birds, maple trees, and more.  Adults and kids age 8 and up will be able to register for a snow shoe hike at Knoch Knolls Park. Participants will gain a new appreciation for the winter habitat and its quiet beauty as well as getting some great exercise.

Nature and your health
There’s no doubt that spending time outdoors in nature, whatever the season, has health benefits for kids and adults.  In addition to our new nature programs, the Naperville Park District provides winter recreation facilities, including sled hills and skating rinks as well as trails, playgrounds, and other facilities that are open year-round so that residents can enjoy time outdoors.
 
Some of the benefits of walking or other outdoor physical activity during the winter include the following:
• Exposure to natural, outdoor light (even when cloudy) helps maintain circadian rhythms for regular sleep
• Activity in the cold helps burn calories for weight control
• Exposure to sunshine and natural landscapes improves mood and reduces feelings of stress

An old Scandinavian saying states: “there is no bad weather, just bad clothing.” We hope that you can enjoy nature and the outdoors this winter, dressed for the weather, and reap the health benefits for you and your family.

On Friday, Nov. 4, from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m., ten members of the Élan Dance Company’s Senior Company are embarking on a new adventure: performing a modern dance as part of Jözef Sumichrast’s sculpture, “String Theory.”

The dancers will travel to Michigan City, Indiana to the Lubeznik Center for the Arts, where “String Theory” is one of the featured exhibits (through December 18).

What is string theory?
The sculpture is based on the theory in physics with the same name.  What is string theory, you may ask?  Élan’s Artistic Director Melissa Sallée recommended checking Wikipedia for a good, understandable description. The artist, Jözef Sumichrast, also posted a helpful explanation about string theory and how it relates to his work.

In physics, string theory assumes that matter is composed of strings, rather than particles, that oscillate in multiple dimensions. Sumichrast’s sculpture portrays the theory with a striking display of 11 life-sized, three-dimensional horses suspended by strings.

The sculpture is meant to portray a fourth dimension of motion and perception by the observer, which is an aspect of string theory.  The Élan dancers will highlight this aspect by their movement and interpretation of the abstract ideas in the sculpture.

The String Theory Dance Project
In a video interview, Sallée explained that she first heard about Sumichrast’s exhibit through a colleague when attending an arts conference.  Sallée seized the opportunity to combine the art of dance with visual art and as an example of “where science and art intersect.”  She charged her students to read about string theory prior to learning the choreography. “They are ready for a challenge,” said Sallée. “This is a new level of artistry, to portray abstract concepts, such as the passage of time and multiple dimensions.”

If you go….
The “String Theory” exhibit will be open to the public free of charge during Élan’s performance on Friday, Nov. 4 from 5:00 to 8:00 as part of the Center’s “First Fridays at 5” series.

The Lubeznik Center is located at 101 W. 2nd St., at the lakefront in Michigan City, Indiana.  Regular gallery hours are Tuesday through Friday from 10:00am to 5:00pm, Saturday and Sunday from 11:00am to 4:00pm. Galleries are closed on Mondays.

 
"String Theory" by Jözef Sumichrast

Élan Dance Company - Senior Company, Spring 2011