In order for public parks to be safe for the general public, it is important to have rules and regulations, which regulate conduct in the parks.

Hours of Operation

Parks shall be open to the public from sunrise to sunset unless other hours are posted or when there is a Park District sanctioned event. Certain facilities within a park may have hours apart from the overall park.

Animals In The Park

Dogs, that are on a leash and under control of the owner, are permitted to be in the parks. Dogs may not be on any athletic field or surface (baseball field, soccer field, tennis courts, etc.). No other animals are permitted to be in the parks or on District property.

No person shall molest, trap or kill any animal, fowl or reptile or disturb the nests thereof in or upon any Park District property.

Because there is no village sidewalk adjacent to Gilbert Avenue along the western border of Gilbert Park, pets on leash and under the control of its owner(s) may be walked:

• On the park sidewalk along the western border which connects to the Village sidewalks at the northwest and southwest corners of the park, and
• Upon the parkway between the sidewalk and Gilbert Avenue.

Pet owners are responsible for removing any waste deposited by their pet and placing the waste in a proper container.

Any animal found within the park system in violation of this section may be apprehended, removed to the animal shelter, public pound or any other place provided for that purpose and impounded, all at the expense of the owner.

Seeing-eye dogs for the visually impaired are expressly excluded from this section and are authorized to be within the park system.

Limitation On Controlled Access

No person shall call or hold any public meeting, give a concert or public entertainment of any kind in or upon any Park District property, or exercise exclusive control or dominion over Park District property.

Posting

No person shall post, affix, or otherwise display any placard, notice, bills, advertisement, or other paper of any kind on any structure within or upon Park District property, nor shall any person distribute, cast, throw or place any of such matter in or about any Park District property.

Solicitation, Trading, Barter, Begging

No person shall sell, buy, exchange, or offer to sell, buy or exchange anything, or do any begging, or take up any collections, or solicit or receive anything of value in or upon any Park District property.

Dumping

No person shall deposit, dump, throw or place any waste, debris or rubbish in or upon any part of the Park District property. No person may deposit any garbage, waste or debris into any receptacle that was not gathered on the site in the course of normal, lawful use of park facilities.

Trees and Shrubs

No person shall climb upon, injure or deface any tree, shrub, plant, turf or other property of the Park District.

No person shall bring into or upon the Park system any tree, shrub or plant or any newly plucked branch or portion of a tree, shrub or plant.

Fire

No person shall light or make or use any fire in or upon any portion of the Park District property,  No person may misuse any refuse container or receptacle by depositing into it any hot coals or other hot or burning substance.

Controlled substances, Alcohol and Smoking

No person shall possess, consume or sell any intoxicating beverages or substances of any kind or nature in or upon Park District property.

No person shall bring within, sell, give away, consume, inhale or ingest any controlled or hallucinogenic substances in or upon any Park District property.

The smoking of cigarettes, cigars and pipe tobacco is prohibited in all buildings on Park District property.

Firearms, Weapons and Pyrotechnic Devices

No person shall have, carry, and/or use any gun, pistol, knife or any other potentially lethal instrument or harmful gaseous substance, or any other dangerous weapon while within the parks.

No person shall possess, ignite or use any type of firecracker, sparkler, explosive or other pyrotechnic device within the parks.

Sound Amplification

No person within the Park District system shall play or operate any sound amplification device including radios, television sets, phonographs, tape decks, public address systems, amplified musical instruments and the like, or operate any other energy amplification device in a manner which may reasonably be expected to annoy other persons in the park or surrounding area.

Tennis, Golf and Ice Hockey

No person shall play or practice golf in or upon any Park District property.

No person shall play or practice ice hockey in or upon any Park District property.

Playground Equipment

No person shall use or operate playground equipment in a manner other than that for which it was intended, nor in any way that may endanger the safety of any person or property.

Power Models, Toys and Rocketry

No person shall start, ignite, fly or use any fuel powered jet-type rocket or electrical powered model aircraft and rockets in any park area.

Bicycles, Skateboards, Roller Skates and Rollerblade's

No person shall ride a bicycle, skateboard, roller skates or rollerblades on any path, trail, roadway, athletic field, spectator area, public area or other area designated and posted as prohibiting bicycles, skateboards, roller skates and/or rollerblades.

No person shall carry another person on the handlebars, frame, or fender, or ride a bicycle except on a suitable seat attached thereto for such a purpose, or operate a bicycle, skateboard, roller skates or rollerblades in a reckless manner so as to endanger pedestrians or themselves.

No person shall park, or leave unattended, any type of bicycle in a manner that totally or partially impedes or blocks any pedestrian or vehicular traffic or access ways.

Camping and Sleeping in Parks

No person shall camp within any park 

No person shall sleep in any park between dusk and sunrise the following day.

Aviation and Airspace

No person shall voluntarily bring, land or cause to descend or alight upon park lands any airplane, flying machine, balloon, parachute or other apparatus for aviation. Any landing other than one caused by mechanical or structural failure of the aircraft or any of its parts shall be deemed to have been made voluntarily.

Motorized Vehicles

No person shall drive any automobile, truck, motorcycle or other motorized vehicle within any of the parks of the District except upon the designated roadways and parking areas provided for driving or parking the same, except Park District employees in the performance of their duties.

• No vehicle shall be driven upon any roadway with in the parks at a speed which is greater than is reasonable and proper with regard to traffic conditions, or which endangers the safety of any person or property.
• No person may drive a vehicle upon any roadway of the Park system at a speed that is greater than five miles per hour (5 mph).

• No person may operate a vehicle in such a manner so as to cause or produce unnecessary loud, raucous, excessive or unusual noise, including, but not limited to, the racing of a motor, the continuous sounding of a horn or other signal device, the creation of tire friction by sudden, unnecessary motor acceleration or rapid turning or weaving, or the failure to have a properly operating muffler.
  
  

No person, except those having business in the Park District system, shall drive any vehicle having a gross weight of 10,000 lbs. or more upon any road or driveway of any of the parks of the District.

No person in charge of a motor vehicle within the Park District shall permit it to stand unattended without first stopping the engine and removing the ignition key.

No person shall park, stand or otherwise stop a vehicle, except when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic or in compliance with the direction of a police officer or traffic control device, in any of the following places:

• On lawn areas and grounds.
• In front of public or private driveways or loading zones.
• In any position to block another vehicle legally parked.
• At any place where the District has posted official signs prohibiting parking.
• In any position that obstructs or interferes with the travel of other vehicles on a roadway or the use of any park facility within the District.
• Within fifteen (15) feet of a fire hydrant or a traffic control signal or sign.

No person shall park any vehicle in designated parking areas of the District beyond the normal closing hour of the park system except where an individual is attending a function.

It is unlawful for any person to operate any snowmobile in or on Park District property.

Any vehicle parked or standing within the park system in violation of any law, ordinance, or rule is hereby declared to be a public nuisance. Such vehicle may be removed and impounded and the owner or person entitled to possession of the vehicle shall pay all charges and expenses arising out of any action taken hereunder.

Permits

Any act provided under this code or any other ordinance or rule of the District, provided such act be not otherwise prohibited by law or ordinance, shall be lawful to the extent authorized or permitted under the provision of a permit issued or permission granted by the District.

Permits may be issued and permission granted only upon the payment of such fees and deposits as may be established by the District.

All terms for the issuance of the permits and granting of permission must be strictly complied with, and any violation shall be grounds for revocation of said permit.

Any group may be allowed to reserve designated areas in certain parks by permit .

Large groups (over thirty people) shall be required to reserve outdoor areas in certain parks by permit. Large group permit applications must be accompanied by a deposit established by the District, such deposit to be refunded provided the group has left no litter and has cleaned up the area that the group has used.

Unlawful Use of Permits

• It is unlawful within the Park District for any person to display or permit to be displayed or have in their possession any canceled, revoked, suspended, fictitious or fraudulently altered permit.
• It is unlawful within the Park District for any person to lend their permit to any other person or knowingly allow the use thereof by another.
• It is unlawful within the Park District for any person to display or represent as their own any permit not issued to them.
• It is unlawful within the Park District for any person to permit any unlawful use of a permit issued to them.

Penalties For Violations

Any person violating any clause or provision of any section of this ordinance shall, upon conviction thereof, be fined not less than twenty-five dollars ($25.00), nor more than five hundred dollars ($500.00) for each convicted offense.

Any person violating any of the provisions of this manual may be forthwith evicted from the parks and or other places under the control of the Park District.

Any person violating any clause or provision of any section of the ordinance and having caused damage to the buildings, property or equipment of the Park District shall make restitution in addition to any fine and penalty for such damage in accordance with Section 8-1(e) of the Park District Code.

Sports Conduct and Regulations

These regulations shall govern individuals in all athletic activities operating within the jurisdiction of the Park District, whether in organized activities or when using Park District facilities with or without the District's permission.

No person shall behave in any manner that is unsportsmanlike, insulting, provoking, abusive, potentially harmful, or physically harmful toward any other person.

No person shall consume, possess or be under the influence of any type of alcoholic beverage, narcotic or illegal drug.

No person shall use abusive, profane or other provoking language to other players, officials or spectators.