Naperville Park District has scaled back a proposed facilities expansion plan and is placing a $120 million bond referendum on the March 17, 2026 ballot.
The question will ask if voters support the district taking on debt to build a new community activity center at Frontier Sports Complex — with an indoor pool and other fitness amenities — and to acquire open space and build more trails.
Park District decreases proposed bond request
The $120 million the district seeks is a decrease from $135 million originally proposed, and it comes after the results of a public survey conducted by consultant Beyond Your Base.
The survey asked residents their level of support for six proposed projects, Executive Director Brad Wilson said. Only the two projects still remaining in the referendum plan received positive ratings, with more than 8,000 survey respondents ranking both the new activity center and land/trails work at 19% favorability.
Other proposed projects, which the park district voted Thursday night not to pursue, included improvements at Nike Sports Complex, Wolf’s Crossing Community Park and Country Lakes Park, plus installation of refrigerated outdoor ice rinks. All received favorability ratings in the negatives, ranging from -8% for improvements at Nike Sports Complex to -28% for refrigerated ice rinks.
Rendering of proposed Naperville Park District activity center. Image courtesy: Naperville Park District
Proposed work includes ‘only the top two priorities’
Park board commissioners voted unanimously in support of asking the scaled-back $120 million referendum question next spring. Several said this is an example of the district receiving community feedback and taking it to heart, while trying to balance facility needs and fiscal responsibility.
“This resolution includes only the top two priorities identified by residents,” Park Board President Leslie Ruffing said. “This process reflects the district’s ongoing commitment to being responsive to the community.”
Longtime Commissioner Rich Janor said the community has been asking for more indoor recreation facilities in south Naperville and indoor aquatic space for at least 20 years. He said he’s interested to see the results when voters weigh in.
“I think it would be inappropriate for the board to unilaterally say, ‘yes,’” Janor said. “But it’s very much appropriate for us to ask the question and let democracy do its thing.”
Survey results predict referendum could pass
The $135 million version of the referendum proposal was estimated to cost the owner of a $500,000 house — the average within the Naperville Park District — an extra $139 a year. Survey results showed knowing this about the tax impacts made 44% of respondents somewhat or much more likely to vote in favor of the request, and 34% of them somewhat or much more likely to vote against it. Results also showed 53% of respondents said they would vote yes for the $135 million proposal, 42% would vote no, and 5% were undecided.
The park district mailed a print version of the survey to all 53,457 registered voter households within its boundaries in late October, and also text messaged it to 60,447 individual voters on Nov. 4.
In total 8,033 people submitted surveys, for roughly a 15% response rate. Wilson said this rate is “incredible for a community our size.” Consultants said typical response rates range from 8 to 17%, with higher rates more common in smaller communities — not larger ones like Illinois’ third-largest city.
“There’s very strong awareness of the proposals, a very strong level of trust, strong satisfaction with the district and modest concern regarding the tax impact,” Wilson said.
Park board encourages residents to vote in referendum
With the referendum question approved to be placed on the ballot, the park district will now file it with election authorities in DuPage and Will counties.
Commissioners encouraged residents to get informed and cast their votes.
“It’s really not our choice whether this referendum goes through; it’s the people’s choice. It’s the people’s voices we want to hear from,” Commissioner Alison Thompson said. “It’s a win-win for the park district. Either we get a great new project, or we’ve heard from you, and you’ve said ‘no,’ and we can point to that and say, ‘Naperville doesn’t want any of this right now.’”
Photo courtesy: Naperville Park District
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