Updated 3-20-20

The safety of residents and patrons is the St. Charles Park District’s first priority.

This is a rapidly evolving situation and updates will be provided regularly on this web page for current information on programs, facilities and parks.

Park District staff are closely monitoring information from the Kane County Public Health Department, Illinois Department of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for best practices and procedures regarding the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Outbreak.

The Illinois Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Hotline and email address provides consistent information, answers questions, shares facts about symptoms, and provides up-to-date information from the CDC. Call 1-800-889-3931 anytime or email: DPH.SICK@ILLINOIS.GOV

Program Updates

All programs, leagues, birthday parties and associate agreement indoor usage activities are cancelled through April 7. Updates on programs beginning April 1 will be posted here as staff continues to monitor this situation.

Community Unit School District 303 schools are closed through April 7. Baker Station, Before the Bell and Preschool will NOT be held. Please make alternate arrangements.

Event Updates

All special events through April 14 have been cancelled, except the Daddy Daughter Dance which will be rescheduled. If you have already registered, a refund will be processed.

Facility Updates

Through April 7, ALL facilities are CLOSED to the public including:

Baker Community Center
Haines Gymnasium
Hickory Knolls Discovery Center
Norris Recreation Center
Pottawatomie Community Center
Pottawatomie Golf Course
Primrose Farm
Sportsplex
STC Underground Teen Center

Park Updates

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker announced a statewide “stay-at-home” order starting March 21 at 5pm through April 7 in an attempt to prevent further spread of COVID-19.

The order specifically states that individuals may leave their residence to engage in outdoor activity such as walking, hiking, running, or biking and may go to public parks and open outdoor recreation areas if they comply with the Social Distancing Requirements defined in the order, but playgrounds must be closed.

Due to this State order, the Park District will be using these guidelines to determine the essential functions at our parks and facilities.

The following park amenities are closed through April 7:

Boat Launch
Disc Golf
Dog Parks
Playgrounds
Skate Parks
Sled Hills
Outdoor Fitness Stations
Outdoor Restrooms

To keep healthy, both physically and mentally, during this recent change in our daily lives, the Park District knows that people are more frequently using local parks. Monitor your health for your own well being and be respectful of its potential impacts to others. If you are not feeling well, please refrain from visiting the parks until you are fully recovered.

As a reminder, it is under the guidance of the CDC that all social gathering of groups of 10+ people should be avoided. We kindly ask that you respect the CDC guidelines and do not create spontaneous events, such as play dates, pick-up games, team practices, etc. until further notice.

Also, please observe the CDC’s minimum recommended social distancing of six feet from other people. Before and after visiting park, please review and use the guidelines in the CDC’s Preventative Steps listed below.

If you visit a park, please follow the Leave No Trace principles and help keep the parks free of garbage. This will help eliminate the need for additional maintenance crews during this already challenging time.

The District plans to keep the parks open while it is safe and prudent to do so. Thank you for your continued efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Refund Updates

The St. Charles Park District will waive processing or administrative fees and refund any deposits for programs or rentals postponed due to COVID-19.

Refunds may be pro-rated based upon the remaining number of classes in a session.
If you paid by cash or check, you will receive a refund check within 15 business days after receipt of refund request.
If you paid by credit card, the refund will be credited to your card.
The Park District reserves the right to review and make the final decision on all refunds.

Programs scheduled to end prior to April 7 will receive a pro-rated refund to account for missed classes. You do not need to request a refund.

At this time, programs and leagues scheduled to run through April are being postponed until facilities re-open. Determination of reschedule dates, credits or refunds will be made by the District in April.

The Park District will refund participants in Before the Bell, Baker Station and Preschool for the cancelled days through March 27. Additional refunds will be processed if CUSD303 extends eLearning days.

If you wish to withdraw from one of these programs for the remainder of the school year, please email Cori Hedlund: chedlund@stcparks.org. Processing fees will not be applied. If you wish to re-enroll before the end of this school year, your previous space cannot be guaranteed.

Norris Recreation Center memberships have been placed on hold until further notice.

All rentals and birthday parties though April 7 have been cancelled. If you have any questions or wish to reschedule your event, please email the appropriate facility supervisor:

Baker Community Center	ckurr@stcparks.org
Haines Gymnasium	skilleen@stcparks.org
Hickory Knolls Discovery Center	cgingrich@stcparks.org
Pottawatomie Community Center	lpiner@stcparks.org
Sportsplex	cgreenfield@stcparks.org

For more information on the District’s refund policy: click here

Preventative Steps

Along with other local agencies, the Park District is proactively taking measures to help reduce the spread of illness throughout the St. Charles community.

The CDC has advised taking these common sense precautions is the best approach to adopt such as:

Stay home if you are sick.
Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue or with your sleeve.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
Wash your hands often with soap and water.
Use alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60-95% alcohol if washing your hands with soap and water is not an option.
Clean frequently touched surfaces and objects in your home such as TV remotes, cell phones and computers.