I'm Ty Beckmann. My family has lived in River Forest for nine years, and our three kids have grown up on the district's fields, in its camps, and in its dance classes. If you've been here longer than we have, you've heard park district promises before and watched most of them stall. I've spent years reading the board packets, and here is what I keep coming back to: a district with no bonded debt, healthy reserves, two universities next door, and the Forest Preserve across the street shouldn't have to say no this often. One commissioner is one vote out of five, but these are the things I will push for, vote for, and report back on, with stable taxes and no referendum.
Petitions are being collected now through November. A minute of your time puts the choice in front of the whole village on April 6.
I'll signTen neighbors in a living room beats any flyer. Invite me over, ask the hard questions, and tell me what your family needs from our parks.
Invite TyNo spam, no daily blasts. Occasional notes on the campaign, board meetings worth watching, and how to help.
Sign me upOf 9 park districts compared, River Forest has the 3rd lowest rate (2025). Only Maywood and Wilmette are lower. Oak Park, Forest Park, Veterans (Melrose Park), Winnetka, Glen Ellyn, and Glencoe all charge more.
The audit shows no bonds outstanding since fiscal 2020. About $4.95 million in cash and investments in June 2026 (about 1.5 years of costs counting capital projects), much of it set aside for park projects.
The River Forest Park District has none of the three.
28 acres in all, “below the national accepted guidance for the number of acres per 1,000 residents.”
Program registrations were about 6,000 in both years.
GFOA certificate for excellence in financial reporting, 14th consecutive year, per the district.
Sources for each figure are listed below.
Page references are to the printed page in each report.