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Welcome to the Sterling Park District! My name is Janelle Ruth. I am excited and grateful to serve the community as the district’s new marketing manager. Being able to grow professionally and personally here in the Park District is a dream come true.
I have raised my family in Sterling for over 25 years. I grew up spending time along the Rock River and exploring parks with my family. I am engaged to my best friend Karl Tank and we have five children with her: Sean, Brianna, Andrew, Olivia, and my stepdaughter Lillian. Two Happy Tails rescue dogs, Moo and Traveler, and two recent additions, guinea pigs, Elliott and Marshall, complete our fun and loving family.
I have always been drawn to green spaces. The Sterling Park District offers a wealth of resources to the community, including 14 parks, miles of bike trails, and numerous amenities such as Westwood Fitness & Sports Center, Dewey Center, and Emerald Hill Golf Course. , offers a variety of activities throughout the year to suit all ages and abilities. Even in a world where it’s easy to feel disconnected from colleagues, friends, and family, there are places and spaces that we are inherently drawn to. Westwood, Emerald Hill and the Duys Center enable socialization, community cohesion and relationship building, and provide respite for people under stress, which can have a positive impact on mental health. can. Our parks and trails invite people to walk, jog, and bike, which can help reduce stress and depression.
My family recently enjoyed a two-mile walk in Sinissippi Park. We saw herds of deer in the brush, peeked out at the Frisbee golf course, watched squirrels dig up their food from last fall, watched water trickle down from the river, and talked. did. Do you remember what it felt like? Connecting with family? On that beautiful day, I couldn’t help but notice that there were even more families out and about enjoying nature just like we were. . We all shared the day with the natural world.
By providing such great green space, the Stirling Park District not only provides shelter for animals, but also allows them to move safely through the urban environment. This benefits biodiversity by allowing species to thrive in areas where they would otherwise not be able to do so. Plants grow food that animals can eat. A mature tree absorbs more than 48 pounds of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and releases oxygen in return. Plants remove toxins from the air. Noise pollution, which affects the health and well-being of humans and other living things, is reduced by green spaces. Plants can help deflect sound, making it more relaxing for nearby residents, animals, and families visiting the park with children. Other benefits to physical health come from appreciating, being in, and being close to nature. My family and I both felt happy and energized by walking. Sterling Park District provides tools and resources to help improve the quality of life and overall health within our community.
Westwood, Dewey Center and Emerald Hill Golf Course are located here. Westwood features a 200-meter indoor track, a 60-yard indoor turf field, fitness turf and functional training equipment, an indoor tennis court, a wooden basketball court, and more than 35,000 square feet of fitness equipment and a boxing area. We also offer a wellness center where you can relax and recuperate with a sauna, compression therapy and hydromassage beds. All of these amenities are included in your Sterling Park District membership.
Group fitness classes such as Unicus Functional Fitness and Total Body Toning are free to members and available to non-members at a drop-in rate. Classes are led by trained instructors who provide motivation and encouragement to students as they strive toward their goals. Need childcare services during your visit to Westwood? We offer childcare services at our kids gym. Kids Gym Child Care, offered exclusively at Westwood, offers parents the opportunity to provide healthy yet playful options for their children while at Westwood. The kids gym is free for members. Call Westwood at 815-622-6201 to start your fitness journey today.
The Duis Center serves as the home for our swimming and gymnastics programs and as one of our group/party rental spaces. The swimming pool includes an indoor 25-yard, six-lane lap pool and a separate 12-foot-deep diving well. The diving well also has a 1 meter diving board. Swim lessons, water fitness classes, lap swims, and open swims are available. The Duis Center is also home to the Wahoo swim team. The first floor gymnastics area features uneven bars, beams, vaulting boxes and flooring, as well as tumbling features including a tumble track and double mini trampoline. The “Little Gym” area on the second floor is equipped with mini-mountain inflatables for ages 3 to 6. For more information, call Duis Center at 815-622-6200.
Emerald Hill Golf Course offers private golf lessons with professional golfer Chip Stabel. Whether you’re new to the sport or a seasoned golfer looking to improve a specific area of your game, chips can help. Chip believes everyone has the ability to learn the basics and looks forward to helping players achieve their goals. Lessons are available for ages 9 to adults. Prices start at $35 per lesson. Book a lesson with Chip by calling 815-622-6204 or stopping by his shop at Emerald Hill Pro.
Looking for a safe, clean, temperature-controlled, and fun place to host your child’s birthday party this spring and summer? We can help. The Duis Center and Westwood facilities provide a fun and child-friendly environment. Parties at Duis Center include swim parties, gymnastics parties, and/or use of multipurpose spaces. Our special event area provides plenty of space for fun activities by the hour. Kids gym space is available to rent exclusively for your next event. 2-hour party block rentals are available on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Groups have access to the entire room, which includes a giant play area, climbing wall, and interactive fitness equipment. Chairs and tables are also available.
Both members and non-members can use the party space! To reserve your next event, call Duis Center at 815-622-6200 or Westwood at 815-622-6201. Parties must book at least two weeks in advance and pay in full. To reserve your date, please pick up a party request form at the front desk and return the completed form at time of booking.
We are looking forward to an exciting summer in the Sterling Park area. If you have any questions or suggestions for topics you would like to read about, please contact us at jloos@sterlingparks.org. To learn more about the Sterling Park District and see the latest activity guides, visit us online at www.sterlingparks.org and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.
• Janell Loos is the marketing manager for the Sterling Park District.
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