Wilmette families who crowd the district's ice rinks, athletic fields and lakefront camps now have a chance to shape where new parks or open space might land.

The Wilmette Park District launched "Imagine More Space in Wilmette," a community input campaign asking residents what kinds of outdoor spaces, amenities and recreational programming they want most. Two public sessions are scheduled in the next week: an informal meeting Monday, Aug. 10, from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at Wilmette Village Hall (second floor), ahead of the regular Park Board meeting, and a second opportunity Wednesday, Aug. 12, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Wallace Bowl at Gillson Park during the Evanston Symphony Orchestra's Sounds of Summer concert.

The district stressed that no property purchase has been finalized and that any future acquisition could depend on grant funding. This is early-stage planning, not a done deal.

Still, the stakes are real for the 41% of Wilmette residents who registered for a Park District program or held a membership in 2025, according to the district's annual report. That figure doesn't count the families who simply show up at playgrounds, Gillson Park beach or the Skokie Lagoons trails without signing up for anything.

The district's existing athletic footprint already stretches across Centennial Ice Rinks, the Centennial Family Aquatic Center, Wilmette Tennis Club and a network of youth sports fields. Summer camps at Gillson Park alone offer beach volleyball for grades 4–8, aquatics camp with paddleboarding and kayaking for grades 5–8, and lifeguard fundamentals for grades 6–9. New open space could relieve pressure on those facilities or open room for programming that doesn't exist yet.

The Ouilmette Foundation, the Park District's community partner, supports scholarships and youth programming so families can participate regardless of financial circumstances.