- 1 Family fishing at the pond, with rods provided and bait available for purchase
- 2 Free use of batting cages all day
- 2 Demonstrations by professional soccer and lacrosse players
- 3 Skateboarding demonstrations and open skating
- 4 Soccer skill clinics
- 5 A “Who’s Who in Northbrook” Softball Game
- 6 Golf Contests and Parent/Child Golf Event
- 7 Inflatables and giveaways
- 8 Wearable art (tie-dye T-shirts for a $5 donation to the Northbrook Arts Commission)
- Also - September 29 is National Park Lands Day, and visitors of all ages can help care for the park by removing invasive plants from the wetlands at the Trail Through Time from 9am until Noon.
Just a few blocks from downtown Northbrook, Techny Prairie Park and Fields encompasses more than 100 acres, offering an extensive assortment of recreational activities, both active and passive, serving a wide range of age, ability and interest groups. The park combined the 60-acre site formerly as the Anetsberger property, near Shermer and Techny Roads, with the former Meadowhill Park South. In addition to the beauty of nature and open spaces, visitors will find two lighted fields with artificial turf for soccer or lacrosse, four ball fields, six batting cages, a 22,000-square-foot concrete skate park, an innovative playground, the new Anetsberger Golf Course, a fishing pond, picnic shelters, a pathway system, sled hill and the award-winning Trail Through Time, a unique educational site that shows how settlers developed a relationship with the land. Techny Prairie Park and Fields is located at 1750 Techny Road, just east of Shermer Road. A complete schedule of events for the Fall Festival is available at www.nbparks.org, or you can call (847) 291-2980 for more information. ###
LAST FRIDAY NIGHT RACE
(Ref:# 0809-4) Get your wheels ready! August 17 is the last date this summer for Friday night bike racing at the Ed Rudolph Velodrome in Northbrook. Amateurs are invited to ride their own bikes around the official quarter-mile banked track and experience the thrill of competitive racing. The Northbrook Bicycle Club sponsors the races for ages five and up, stressing healthy fun and friendly competition. Registration begins at 6pm for children and 7:45pm for adults. Racers under 18 begin at 7pm, and adults race from 8:20-10pm. The race groupings are based on age, and each racer typically takes part in two races during the night. All riders need to wear helmets and an official rider number, which can be purchased for $1. Prizes are awarded to all riders under the age of 14. The Velodrome is in Meadowhill Park, 1479 Maple Avenue. For more information, call (847) 291-2369. ###
SKATEBOARD LESSONS
(Ref:# 0809-5) Got a skateboard? Check. Helmet? Check. Need lessons? Skateboarders of all levels can learn the skills of the sport in a series of classes beginning Saturday, September 8 at Techny Prairie Park and Fields in Northbrook. Participants will learn how to stop, start, kick turns, pump, ride ramps and perform basic tricks. Ages 5-7 will be grouped in one class, which meets from 10-11am; ages 8-13 will meet from 10am-Noon. Advanced riders are welcome and will learn skills based on their abilities. The Northbrook Park District is offering the lessons with instructors from Team Skateboard Inc. Helmets are required, and protective pads strongly encouraged. For more information, call (847) 291-2369. Registration is available online at www.nbparks.org, by mail or in person at all customer service locations. ###
INDOOR SWIM CLASSES
(Ref:# 0809-6) Beginning September 9, the Northbrook Park District will offer indoor swimming lessons at Glenbrook North High School. A Parent/Infant/Toddler Program will be offered on Sundays from 12:10-12:50pm and 1-1:40pm, to introduce children to the water in a fun and healthy manner. Designed for children ages 9 months-3 years, this class focuses on developing a positive attitude toward the pool. In addition, the Learn to Swim Program offers six levels of instruction for ages 4-14 years. Each session will focus on a set of skills; children will be tested at the beginning of each session and placed in the proper level. The classes will be offered on Sundays from 1:50-2:30 and 2:40-3:20pm. Also, children and adults can sign up for Synchronized Swimming, which offers an aerobic and muscular workout combined with artistry. Two classes will be offered - for beginner and intermediate swimmers and advanced swimmers, also on Sunday afternoons. For more information, check p. 94 of the Autumn Recreation Guide, visit www.nbparks.org or call the Athletic and Aquatics office at (847) 291-2369. ###
WANTED: WOMEN INVESTORS
(Ref:# 0809-7) The Women’s Investment Club will meet on Thursday, August 16 at 10am at the Northbrook Park District Senior Center, 3323 Walters Avenue. Anyone who would like to learn more about the club is welcome to attend the meeting. The club meets on the third Thursday of the month, and all investors must be members of the Senior Center. For more information, call (847) 291-2988. ###
BARBARA RINELLA
(Ref:# 0809-8) Tickets already are being sold for an entertaining book dramatization with Barbara Rinella on November 13. The Northbrook Park District Senior Center will present the event at Forty One North: An American Grill in Northbrook. The doors open at 11:15am; lunch is served at 11:45, and the presentation is at 1:15pm. Raffles and door prizes are part of the event. The fee is $20 for Senior Center members and $30 for non-members. The fee includes lunch and the presentation. Barbara’s choice of book for the presentation will be announced soon. For more information, call the Senior Center at (847) 291-2988. ###
TINY TREKS
(Ref:# 0809-9) Tiny Treks classes, designed for families who want their children to explore their natural surroundings, will begin on September 6, allowing preschool children to chase butterflies, fly kites and visit nature preserves and farms. Parents or caregivers and children will take short hikes in a variety of outdoor settings in addition to enjoying music, art, movement and games. Weekly locations will be close to downtown Northbrook. The Northbrook Park District will offer the classes on Thursday mornings from 9:15-10:45am and on Fridays from 9:15-10:45am. The classes are designed for children 2-5 years old, and a sibling discount is available. For more information, visit www.tinytreks.com. Registration is available online at www.nbparks.org, by mail or in person at all customer service locations. ###
GET DOWN AND DIRTY
(Ref:# 0809-10) Mark the date of September 29 to get down and dirty for America and Northbrook parks in a National Public Lands Day program. Each year, volunteers throughout the country join together to make a difference at their local parks and public lands. The Northbrook Park District is offering the opportunity for volunteers to join other stewards and become “Prairie Dawgs” at the Trail Through Time at Techny Prairie Park and Fields. The volunteers will cut down invasive plants in the Trail wetlands between 9am and Noon. All ages are welcome. Volunteers should dress for the outdoors and wet ground. For more information, call Julie Hansen at (847) 291-2995. ###
OUTDOOR POOL HOURS EXTENDED
(Ref:# 0809-11) The Sports Center Pool will stay open extra days for swimmers to enjoy this summer. The pool was scheduled to close on August 11 but will remain open through Friday, August 17. The postseason hours are:
Sports Center Pool, Post-Season Hours
Meadowhill Aquatic Center will remain open through Labor Day.
The postseason hours are as follows:
August 12 11am-9pm Public Swim
August 13-17 Noon-9pm Public Swim
August 18, 19 11am-9pm Public Swim
August 20-24 4-8pm Public Swim
August 25, 26 Noon-8pm Public Swim
August 27-31 4-8pm Public Swim
September 1-3 Noon-8pm Public Swim
September 3 Closes for the Season
For more information, call the Athletics and Aquatics Office at (847) 291-2369. ###
