The Forest Preserve District of DuPage County is assessing its demographics, equity challenges, and feasibility for new initiatives amid shifting community needs and preferences. The county, while relatively affluent and suburban in character, faces demographic change, generational lifestyle shifts, longstanding equity gaps in access to open space, and financial questions about sustaining and enhancing assets. Additionally, there is growing interest in activating public lands with commercial, cultural, and experiential amenities to attract broader audiences while maintaining the Forest Preserve’s mission.

The District needs to:

• Understand Demographics: Track how household composition, age, diversity, and income distributions impact open space usage.

• Prioritize Equity: Address historical inequities in park access and ensure facilities serve all demographic groups.

• Evaluate Real Estate, Economic, and Cultural Shifts: Consider current suburban market attractiveness post-pandemic and new user expectations, particularly in an era where outdoor recreation attractions compete with technology.

• Assess New Opportunities: Explore commercial amenities in parks and evaluate the Greene Farm Barn’s feasibility as a community/commercial event space.

• Balance Mission and Revenue: Ensure that innovation and revenue generation align with accessibility, affordability, and inclusivity.

Work Scope

• Demographic Mapping: Analyzed household types, age concentrations, income levels, and ESRI tapestry segmentation to better align programming and outreach.

• Equity Engagement: Extracted best practices from ULI, NRPA, and Trust for Public Land studies—recommended surveys, transparent reporting, discounted pricing, partnerships, and community engagement strategies.

• Programming for Belonging: Emphasized creating welcoming, safe, and culturally reflective spaces with community-defined values of inclusion, affordability, and safety (less police-driven, more community-driven presence).

• Market & Real Estate Analysis: Reviewed the suburban shift in housing demand post-COVID, reaffirming the importance of access to nature as a lifestyle driver.

• Commercial Opportunities: Studied F&B/event examples within parks regionally and internationally, noting potential to increase visits and revenue.

• Feasibility Study (Greene Farm Barn):

- Modeled pre-feasibility financials using comparable facilities.

- Estimated costs and potential rental revenue.

- Projected net operating income based on benchmarked operating costs.

- Calculated break-even period, as well as metrics of return (IRR) and value (NPV)

- Explored business models and recommended a concessionaire model 

Results

• Insights on Demographics: DuPage remains family-oriented and diverse but must adapt to generational and cultural shifts. Wealth and age distribution vary within the county and require tailored outreach.

• Equity Roadmap Established: Key actions identified around inclusive engagement, affordability, transparent metrics, and partnerships.

• Strategic Direction on Amenities: Commercial uses (cafés, event spaces, night programming) can both generate revenue and expand audiences if carefully aligned with the mission.

• Barn Feasibility: Preliminary analysis indicates Greene Farm Barn has potential as a unique commercial/community venue, but further market testing, stakeholder engagement, cost analysis, and exploration of partnership models is essential before proceeding.

The District has an opportunity to evolve from a traditional conservation model toward one that integrates community, equity, innovation, and financial sustainability, all while maintaining its core mission of natural preservation.