The Park District of Oak Park has a new look.
A new and more modern logo debuted in early December after a branding study was commissioned in 2014.
“We learned from a survey of the households in our data base that over 92 percent of our respondents recognized our logo,” said Diane Stanke, the park district’s Director of Marketing & Customer Service. “That’s a pretty significant percentage for any organization. In planning for the new logo design, we wanted it to be fresh and fun, convey a sense of movement and activity, along with a feeling of community.
“We elected to refresh our logo rather than create a completely new mark since it has such a high recognition rate with our residents. The new logo symbolizes the park district’s fresh, innovative approach to the future while honoring our past. It was important to establish a connection from the old to the new.”
Jennifer LaFleur, the park district’s former communications and marketing coordinator, designed the new logo. She left her position as the new logo was being rolled out internally and to the public.
The new logo has a pinwheel look and consists of eight petals representing assorted aspects of the park district’s operations.
“The petals represent parts of the park district like youth and adult sports, aquatics and the ice rink,” Stanke said. “One of the petals, which represents the administrative end of our agency, has a similar color to the previous logo. That’s another way we tried to honor the tradition of the logo.”
The new logo design is also intended to create a connection to nature that offers an opportunity for personal interpretation.
“There’s definitely a connection to nature with the new logo,” Stanke said. “People may view it as a snowflake, sun or flower. That’s part of the fun of the new look, allowing people to interpret it in different ways.
According to Stanke, the previous logo had been in use since the mid-1970s.
The new logo made its public debut at a Family Fun Night and a public skate earlier this month.
“Residents will start seeing the new logo all around town,” Stanke said. “We’ll start replacing park signs with signs including the new logo. It will also be displayed on our website, brochures, our banners, other signage, and t-shirts for campers in our park district programs.”
CONTACT: marty@oakpark.com