Wilmette Park District earned the No. 47 spot in the NAFA Fleet Management Association's 2026 Green Fleet Awards, the district announced Sept. 10.

The ranking places the district among North America's top 50 government and commercial green fleets. It marks a first for the park district, which operated just one green vehicle four years ago.

About half of the district's fleet has since moved to electric, hybrid or battery-powered alternatives. The lineup includes one electric service van, three hybrid vehicles with a fourth on order, 70 electric golf carts and five electric ride-on mowers. In the past year, the district cut fuel consumption by roughly 400 gallons while keeping up service across more than 300 acres of parks and 250,000 square feet of facilities.

The district said the transition has been gradual by design. Rather than swapping out equipment just to go electric, staff evaluate each purchase based on operational needs, maintenance costs and available technology when a piece of equipment reaches its scheduled replacement.

Parks and maintenance crews who use the gear daily assess battery life, reliability and whether an electric option can handle the workload before recommending a switch.

The NAFA Green Fleet Awards, announced Aug. 26, judge entrants on fleet composition, fuel use and emissions, sustainability policies, fuel-saving technology and employee engagement. The City of Long Beach, California, took the top spot this year.

Beyond vehicles, the district has converted roughly 90% of its interior and exterior lighting to LED and is exploring solar energy and battery storage at its maintenance facility. It has also applied for funding through the Illinois Department of Transportation's National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program to expand EV charging capacity.

Lucy Mellen, who has served as sustainability coordinator for both the Village of Wilmette and the Wilmette Park District since February 2023, has helped guide the district's environmental efforts. During an April Earth Month recap, Mellen called the district's Earth Month programming "a joy to bring … to our patrons."

The district is also testing idle-reduction technology on four vehicles and recycling waste lubricants and antifreeze as part of its fleet management practices. The district called the national ranking an encouraging benchmark, pointing to the value of steady, incremental improvements.