Ty Beckmann for River Forest Park Board

Why I'm Running

I'm Timothy "Ty" Beckmann. For nine years my family has lived in River Forest and grown up in these parks: three kids (12, 10, and 3) and season after season of camps, courts, ballfields, and playgrounds. I've spent those years reading board packets and watching good ideas stall. River Forest has resources most towns dream of: two universities, the Civic Center, Thatcher Woods, committed volunteers, and a debt-free park district. We can turn what we already have into more programs and more access for every family, before ever asking more of taxpayers.

The Platform

One commissioner is one of five votes. This is what I will push for, vote for, and report back on.

1Better outdoor access, first

Courts that match the demand in front of us. Platform tennis is the clearest case, with 284 adult passholders, full leagues, and no courts added since 2017. I'll push for a fresh community process and a yes-or-no capacity decision made in the open, instead of another decade of drift.
Great pros, hired and kept. Both racquet pro roles turned over within two years while enrollment suffered. Prompt, competitive hiring and retention of program professionals should be a board priority, and I'll make it one.
Support for the teams that fill our parks. Well-maintained fields and courts, clear scheduling, and real support for the volunteer leagues and clubs that use them.
Indoor space, partnerships before buildings. My goal is a signed indoor-space agreement before the term ends, using the Civic Center, our universities, and our schools before spending a dollar on new construction, with progress published either way. And real programming for teens and tweens.

2Partnerships that unlock River Forest

Restart resident-first facility conversations with Dominican University and Concordia University, with terms published before any vote.
Push the Civic Center gym conversation, with the Civic Center Authority and the Township, from exploratory committee to signed agreement, so families gain indoor space we don't have to build.
Partner with the Forest Preserve District on joint programming with Thatcher Woods and the Trailside Museum, right next door.

3A board you can see

Livestream and archive every meeting; keep every packet one click away, permanently.
A public project tracker so no proposal quietly disappears: every open item, its status, and its age.
Survey before spending. Community input gathered, published, and honored before major capital decisions.
Seasonal listening sessions in the parks, because not everyone can make a Monday 6 PM meeting.

4Respect for your money

A plain-English money page: what we levy, what we collect, what each project costs, budget vs. actual, updated all year.
Aggressively pursue state, county, federal, and utility grants, and publish what we applied for and what came back.
Fee-based programs that work for members and neighbors alike. Published budgets, clear access rules, responsive management, and fee revenue reinvested with the books open.

About Ty

River Forest resident for 9 years; married, three kids ages 12, 10, and 3, all growing up in district programs
20 years at Apple, building teams, partnerships, and programs at scale
Founder of a consulting firm that helps organizations grow revenue and negotiate strong partnerships
Member, River Forest Sustainability Commission
Longtime park district parent, participant, and volunteer

"A park district with no debt, healthy reserves, and two universities next door shouldn't have to say no so often. The opportunities are here. The job is to go get them."

Get Involved

Sign the petition

I need signatures from registered River Forest voters this fall to get on the April ballot. A minute of your time puts the choice in front of the whole village.

I'll sign

Host a coffee

Ten 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 Ty

Get updates

No spam, no daily blasts. Occasional notes on the campaign, board meetings worth watching, and how to help.

Sign me up