Purple Martin Colony prepped for winter

On Monday, Oct 16, volunteer Jim Reuter (former Executive Director) came out to close the Purple Martin colony on Balog Island in Armstrong Park for the season. This required lowering the houses to a workable level and cleaning out the old nests, and closing the entrances. Migration begins mid-August, and the birds are gone. They migrate through North America down to South America each year.

New Infield Turf coming to McCaslin Park Sports Complex

We are excited to announce that the artificial turf infields at McCaslin Park are being replaced. The project will begin as early as November 6 when sports tournaments are completed for the season. The artificial turf infields have seen thousands of games since being installed ten years ago. The $540K capital project will provide another ten years of reliable play - no matter the weather. A grant received from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for tourism attractions will cover $37.6K of the cost. We are planning a Grand Re-Opening of the sports complex for our baseball and softball leagues in the spring of 2024.

Memorial Park, Klein Creek preservation and new trail

Memorial Park, located at 342 Thunderbird Trail, is the first park the Park District acquired in 1967. Klein Creek runs through the park, and over the years, the shoreline has been slowly eroding. The Village of Carol Stream has been restoring and stabilizing the Klein Creek shoreline. The project started in 2017 and was split into four sections, one that included Memorial Park and stretched to Kuhn Road. These photos illustrate the retaining walls constructed to stabilize the erosion of Klein Creek. Additionally, the Village constructed a new pathway that weaves from Memorial Park to Kuhn Road. Crossing Kuhn Road, the next trail takes you underneath North Avenue to Red Hawk Park and onto the Great Western Trail. This is just another example of the many trails and paths we have in Carol Stream, throughout the Village and Parks, that offer residents exploration and adventure.

Make a difference in your community! The Carol Stream Parks Foundation is looking for volunteers to join the Foundation Board. The Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to developing additional financial support for public parks and recreation programs of the Carol Stream Park District. It is managed by a board of directors who live or work locally and are passionate about providing a strong financial foundation for parks and recreation in the community.

Since its inception, the Foundation has contributed over $20,000 to the park district's scholarship fund. In addition, the Foundation installed two bike fix-it stations for cyclists, and a bench outside Coral Cove Water Park. The popular annual Duck Race is held by the Foundation. The Foundation also worked with the VFW, American Legion, Village of Carol Stream, and many individual contributors to create the new Veteran's Memorial Plaza at Town Center. Come out to our Mod Pizza fundraiser and meet us to learn more about a great way to give back to the community!