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Monday 8am - 5pm Tuesday 8am - 5pm Wednesday 8am - 5pm Thursday 8am - 5pm Friday 8am - 5pm

Illinois Park and Recreation Association

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Illinois Park and Recreation Association

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The Illinois Park and Recreation Association (IPRA) asks that you please be respectful of others.

Established in 1944, the Illinois Park & Recreation Association (IPRA) serves over 3,000 park, recreation, and conservation professionals throughout the state, and is a national leader in providing premier education, networking, and resources We reserve the right to delete profane, harassing, abusive or spam comments and to block offenders. IPRA asks that anyone posting to this page do so operating under a community code of conduct. Unsolicited and/or personal advertisements not authorized by IPRA will be removed.

10/28/2026

Inspiring the next generation of professionals! On October 21, IPRA Ambassadors joined the Barrington 220 School District Career Expo, connecting with nearly 3,000 high school and middle school students to showcase the diverse career opportunities in parks, recreation, conservation, and special recreation. A big thank-you to our volunteer ambassadors for helping students discover where a career in field can take them! These visits are part of the IPRA Workforce Recruitment Initiative.

Shoutout to the volunteers who represented IPRA: Tom Bower of Winfield Park District, Tiffany Greene of Elk Grove Park District, Cailee Butler of PLAINFIELD PARK DISTRICT, Katelynn Putkonen of Wilmette Park District, and Kate Moran of Northwest Special Recreation Association- NWSRA.

Learn more: https://bit.ly/4iZiMDX

10/27/2026

Invest in your playgrounds by obtaining your CPSI!

The Certified Playground Safety Inspector course is a national certification program delivered by the National Recreation and Park Association and co-hosted by the Illinois Park & Recreation Association. It is designed to train individuals on how to identify hazards on public playgrounds and playground equipment, prioritize those hazards by injury potential, and establish a playground safety program.

Follow the IPRA Calendar for upcoming prep courses and exam opportunities: https://bit.ly/3VZ4EnJ..

Looking to renew your certification? IPRA University offers a collection of five on-demand virtual educational modules, fulfilling Group A and Group B requirements. Learn from peers with practical field experience to enhance your playground audits, improve your documentation records, identify potential hidden hazards, and more.

Each individual online course is pre-approved for 0.1 CEUs and may be applied toward CPSI certification renewal, providing a convenient and engaging way for inspectors to maintain their credentials while expanding their professional knowledge.

Learn more about the bundle and save when you purchase all five courses: Bundle - https://bit.ly/487sBvE

10/22/2026

ProConnect applications are NOW open!

The IPRA ProConnect Mentorship Program is an award-winning program designed to connect and inspire IPRA Professionals across career stages through meaningful mentorship, shared learning, and career development.

Applications for the 2027 program will be accepted through January 6, 2027.

Interested in being a mentor or mentee? Visit the IPRA website for more information: https://www.ilipra.org/proconnect/

10/21/2026

Thank you to everyone who joined IPRA for the 9th Annual Facility Management Workshop at Geneva Park District's Stephen Persinger Recreation Center on October 8!

Hosted by the IPRA’s Facility Management (FM) and Parks and Natural Resource Management (PNRM) Sections, this SIGnature event brought together over 80 parks and recreation professionals and leaders!

IPRA would like to give a special thank you to the FM Board of Regents for their vision, commitment, and hard work throughout the past year. The association would also like to give an extra special shoutout to Chair, Sarah Mejicano, for her leadership and expertise.

10/16/2026

We made our third visit to Bloom Township High School District 206 today to share career opportunities in parks, recreation, and conservation! A special thank you to our IPRA Ambassadors Gina Hassett (Frankfort Park District), Kevin Battles (Village of University Park), and Mark Grassi (Prospect Heights Park District) for inspiring the next generation.

These visits are part of the IPRA Workforce Recruitment Initiative. Learn more: https://bit.ly/4iZiMDX

10/16/2026

Dive into a full day of learning at the 2026 Aquatics Symposium on November 5!

Hosted by IPRA’s Facility Management Section, this professional development event will explore aquatic safety, risk management, facility operations, programming, and more. Attendees will also have opportunities for hands-on training, networking, and connecting with industry partners.

📅 November 5, 2026
📍 Carol Stream Park District’s Fountain View Recreation Center

Registration closes November 2. Learn more and register: https://bit.ly/3TdlbDB

10/15/2026

Yesterday, the IPRA Board and staff members came together to continue the development of a three-year strategic plan to create a roadmap for the future of IPRA. IPRA would like to give a special thank you to Keith Wallace, IPRA Chicago-Metro Region Representative, for sharing the Lincolnway Special Recreation Association Center to serve as the retreat location. Highlights from the new plan will be shared in the coming months.

10/15/2026

There’s still time to nominate the people and programs making an impact across the parks, recreation, and conservation field!

The IPRA Awards & Recognition Program honors outstanding achievements, innovative initiatives, and leaders who are helping move the profession forward. Applications are due November 9.

Apply here: https://bit.ly/4z7wah5

10/14/2026

Last week, IPRA Ambassadors Karyn Regner (Town of Normal Parks and Recreation Department) and Christine Aguirre (Lemont Park District) spoke with students at Gibson City Melvin Sibley Schools High School Postsecondary Exploration Day about career opportunities in parks, recreation, conservation, and special recreation. The IPRA Ambassador Program is part of IPRA’s Workforce Recruitment Initiative, connecting students with the many career paths in the field.

Explore the resources available in IPRA’s Workforce Recruitment Resource Kit here: https://bit.ly/4iZiMDX

10/13/2026

Address

15 Spinning Wheel Road, Suite 218
Hinsdale, IL
60521

Opening Hours

Monday	8am - 5pm
Tuesday	8am - 5pm
Wednesday	8am - 5pm
Thursday	8am - 5pm
Friday	8am - 5pm

Telephone

(708) 588-2280

Website

http://www.ilipra.org/

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