Posted on May 1, 2025
Carol Stream Park District to Honor Retiring Commissioners
Brenda Gramann and Brian Sokolowski, will be retiring from their positions as Park Board Commissioners. Their last meeting will be Monday, May 12. Each of these dedicated Commissioners have dedicated 24 years of outstanding volunteer service to the Park District and our community. On behalf of the staff, fellow Board Members and the entire Carol Stream Community, we thank Brenda and Brian for everything they have contributed to making Carol Stream such a wonderful place to live and play.
They became interested in serving on the Board when the District successfully passed a $12 million referendum in 2000, which provided critical funding for repairs, maintenance, and improvements to park district properties. Their leadership during the 2010 $37million referendum guided the building of Fountain View Recreation Center and McCaslin Park.
Brenda is a Master Board Member, and served as Board President for 7 years. Brian is also a Master Board Member, and served as Board President for 3 years. During their tenure, the Carol Stream Park District was recognized as a Distinguished Agency in 2007, 2013, and 2018 and won the prestigious National Gold Medal Award in 2002 and 2008. The Park District was a finalist for the National Gold Metal Award in 2001, 2002 and 2014.
In the last 24 years, multiple properties were acquired, developed or renovated, including the following parks: Armstrong, Bierman, Cambridge, Carolshire, Charger Court, Community, Friendship, Hampe, Horizon, Jirsa, Memorial, Papoose Tot Lot, Park on the Green, Red Hawk, Sundance, Shining Waters, Slepicka Homestead, Stonebridge, Tedrahn, Volunteer, Walter, and Weeks. Additional projects included the Glenbard North High School Turf Field, connection to the Great Western Trail, Bierman Lake Trail, Mitchell Lakes Trail, Pleasant Hill Trail, Maintenance facility, and renovations to Elk Trail Recreation Center, Coyote Crossing Mini Golf, Coral Cove Water Park, and Simkus Recreation Center.
Multiple grants were awarded, in excess of $7 million from PARC, CBDG, DCEO, OSLAD, IDNR, IL Clean Energy, DuPage County Clean Water, and DuPage Tourism. Partnerships were developed with the IDNR, IDOT, Forest Preserve of DuPage County, Village of Carol Stream, Village of Glendale Heights, Winfield, Wayne and Milton Townships, Carol Stream Public Library, Glenbard School District 87, Community Consolidated School District 93, Benjamin School District 25, School District U46, and Community Unit School District 200, which created cost savings and improved recreational amenities for residents.
Commissioners Gramann and Sokolowski encouraged strong financial management as evidenced by the District earning the GFOA Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting during the last 24 years and tax savings from refinancing debt at lower interest rates. In addition, they encouraged higher standards of park district services by increasing staff training opportunities, better equipped maintenance crews, planting more than 400 trees, enhancing accessibility and continuous program participation increases reflect their support of the Park District operations.
