The Oak Lawn Park District oversees more than 300 acres of parks and green space in Oak Lawn. Each neighborhood in Oak Lawn has its own green space, totaling 22 parks.
Each season, the park district sponsors hundreds of recreational and sports programs for youths, adults, and seniors. Its facilities include a public golf course, sports and fitness centers, and performing arts facilities, as well as playgrounds, pools, nature preserves, and walking paths.
The five-member park district board of commissioners meets on the second Monday of the month at 7pm at the Oak View Center, located at 4625 W. 110th Street.
The Oak Lawn Park District's Pavilion is a full-scale recreational center with indoor and outdoor facilities where residents of all ages can go to get fit and play. The 28,000-square-foor sports arena offers a workout and fitness center with all of the latest Cybex equipment like stair-steppers, exercise bikes, free weights and treadmills. An .08 mile indoor running/walking track is available free to residents year-round, as well as all types of adult and youth sports leagues, an open gym and sports training programs. The Pavilion also offers a babysitting room so parents can enjoy worry-free workouts and participate in programs.
Some of the featured recreation programs are bench-step aerobics, kickboxing, Seniorcise, Pilates-based conditioning, Yoga fitness, Rug Rat Sports, the 1,000 Mile Walking Club and the George Shimko Basketball School.
The main 28,000-square-foot arena is available for private rental, including business functions, celebrations and trade shows.
The Oak View Community Center is located on a tree-filled campus on the east side of Oak Lawn. Its field house contains many museum-quality nature displays of the area's early history, as well exhibits of sea creatures, animals, shells, rocks and minerals.
The center offers a diverse selection of programming, including art classes, fitness, recreation programs and pre-school classes.
The Oak Lawn Community Theater is also stationed at Oak View, staging four critically-acclaimed family musicals per year in a newly renovated gymnasium complete with stadium seating.
Rooms in the community center are available for rental for private parties. The center also has chairs and tables available for rentals. Room rentals range in price from $25-$59 per hour and can accommodate private parties of up to 200 people.
The outdoor park grounds include a baseball field, picnic grounds, playground and a sand volleyball court.
Residents can also register for park district programs at Oak View.
