Our Oak Brook Park District is so much more than the pride and joy of our community. It’s the multigenerational gathering place that brings us together and improves our village’s quality of life. It’s a place that grows our children’s confidence, introduces them to team activities, and teaches them how to face challenges. And it’s the destination where Oak Brook families like yours, and mine, make lifelong memories.

When I first ran for the park district board, I made a promise to help strengthen our park district while remaining fiscally responsible, and those are two promises I have kept. As the park district looks for ways to improve what we provide to the community, remaining fiscally responsible will be a must, and as Vice President, is something I prioritize. Before any new project is moved forward, we first research if any federal or state grants are available. I am passionate about leveraging grant opportunities to minimize our reliance on local taxpayers. Under my leadership, we have secured $3.5 million in grant funding for our park district projects. I also believe it’s critical to invest in projects that reduce operational costs over time, such as infrastructure upgrades and energy-efficient designs. We are replacing the Ginger Creek Bridge, which is fully funded by grant dollars, to improve durability, accessibility, and minimize future maintenance expenses. I am committed to investing wisely, maximizing our resources, and achieving growth without burdening our taxpayers.

Something our park district was missing was a playground that young families could enjoy, where grandparents could play with their grandkids, and children with special needs could play alongside other kids. As a parent of a child with special needs, it was important to me that our park district was inclusive to everyone in our community. Instead of pursuing a plan to build a universal playground at the expense of our taxpayers, I led the charge to secure private funding  in combination with grants—coming up with creative solutions to improve our park district without asking our residents for more. We successfully funded, constructed, and opened the Sandlot Universal Playground in 2018 that was fully ADA accessible and has become a destination spot for our park district. And over the last year, we developed  the Central Park North Campus  to include an amphitheater, concessions, shelter, and permanent restrooms for large scale events funded in part through state and federal grants.

The Oak Brook Park District is for our residents and families, and that’s why I am always talking to community members and soliciting feedback. As the Vice President, and someone who leads other local organizations, listening to what our residents want to see or have to say about new projects allows me to better serve our community. Whether I’m talking to a fellow parent at a school event or talking to a resident at the grocery store, your feedback is noted and brought up at our next board meeting. I believe if you are going to lead, you should be in the community talking to those you serve. We’ve introduced QR code surveys and encouraged participation in open forums to provide added transparency and ensure our park district is aligned with community needs.

I represent the type of continued leadership we need on the Oak Brook Park District Board, someone who is actively and passionately engaged in the community and is delivering results for residents.

Please vote for me, Lara Suleiman, for Oak Brook Park District Commissioner so I can continue our shared mission of delivering the best possible community experiences while being a wise steward of your taxpayer dollars, making our park district a destination for future generations.