As the Naperville Park District celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Naperville Youth Soccer program, Soccer Coordinator Betsy Nyman discusses program traditions, how it has evolved, and her own personal connection to the program.

2026 State of the Naperville Park District by Naperville Park District

Superintendent of Trades Operations Mike Piszynski, and Park Specialist II Trevor Stibbe discuss the work the Naperville Park District does to maintain parks and facilities during the winter months.

Ahead of Magical Starlight Theatre's January 2026 production of "Shrek: The Musical", the show's Music Director John Apple and Choreographer Jeanne O'Connell discuss the impact music and dance have on musicals independently and together.

The Naperville Park District offers a wide-array of gymnastics programs for the community, but the Winter In-House Gymnastics Teams offer a unique opportunity for gymnasts to experience the sport in a competition setting. Current Gymnastics Coordinator Kara Gagan and former Gymnastics Coordinator Karen Schmidt join the ParkTalk Podcast to talk about the in-house competition program and the sport of gymnastics.

Ahead of the 2025 Naperville Healing Field of Honor November 7-12, Operation Support Our Troops – America Executive Director, Linda Tuisl and former U.S. Marine Chopper Pilot and Vietnam Veteran, Wayne Fischer, discuss their work on the event, its impact on veterans, and ways the community can show their support for veterans and active duty service members.

Naperville Park District conducts seasonal prescribed burns in many of its parks, but what exactly does that mean? Park Specialists Olivia Koehn and Tammy Peterson join the ParkTalk Podcast to educate listeners on the practice of prescribed burns and how the Park District uses them as a natural management tool.

While exercising and dieting are incredibly important to living a healthy lifestyle, engaging in those practices incorrectly can be counterproductive and lead to other health issues. Neil Deatrick, a personal trainer from Fort Hill Activity Center, joins the podcast to share some tips and advice on working out and eating in a healthier, safer manner.

Residents throughout Naperville witness renovations and improvements to their favorite neighborhood amenities. But how does the Park District get to that stage? For this episode of the ParkTalk Podcast, Naperville Park District Project Managers, Jessica Burgdorf and Peggy Motta, sit down to explain the District’s capital improvement process.

With Naperville’s senior residents making up a significant amount of the population, it is important to support organizations who cater to the demographic’s specific needs. Lisa Kirchner from Dementia Friendly Naperville, an organization formed to specifically support dementia patients, joins to discuss the benefits of the organization and their work in supporting seniors in the community.