A Look Back at 2025: Program Snapshots Highlight a Year of Growth, Connection, and Community Impact
As the Cary Park District reflects on 2025, several of our most impactful programs stood out for their growth, participation, and community response. From summer camps and before-and-after school care to aquatic programming at Sunburst Bay, this year’s program snapshots offer a behind-the-scenes look at how our programs served families, children, and residents throughout the year.
Foxford Hills Golf Club:
Foxford Hills Golf Club continued to stand out in 2025 as one of McHenry County’s premier public golf destinations. The course was once again recognized by the Northwest Herald as One of the Best Public Golf Courses, following previous honors in 2022, 2023, and being named the county’s best course in 2024. Play remained strong throughout the year, with 40,485 total rounds and continued growth in season passholders. The driving range also saw increased use, with more than 24,000 buckets sold, reflecting steady interest from golfers of all skill levels.
Beyond daily play, Foxford Hills remained deeply connected to the community through youth programming, instruction, and special events. Its PGA Junior Golf Program continues to be one of the top programs in the area, supported by a highly regarded professional staff and supplemented by summer golf opportunities for ages 5–14 and beginner clinics for adults. The course also hosted numerous community and fundraising events, including Pars Under the Stars for the Cary Park Foundation, high school athletic fundraisers, law enforcement benefits, conference championships, and record-setting Turkey Shoot events. Together, these efforts highlight another successful year for Foxford Hills as both a premier golf course and a valued community asset.
Summer Camp Programs: Camp ECHO & Sunshine Camp
Our summer camp programs continued to be a cornerstone of the Cary Park District experience in 2025. Camp ECHO and Sunshine Camp welcomed 493 total campers, representing 293 families for Camp ECHO and 73 families for Sunshine Camp. Camps were offered over 8–10 weeks with flexible scheduling options, including full-week and flex camp sessions for children ages 3–14.
Weekly themed sessions, outdoor play, water days, field trips, and hands-on activities created a fun and engaging summer environment. Enrollment increased in several areas compared to 2024, including Camp ECHO Extreme and Sunshine Camp Flex options. Survey feedback reinforced the success of the program, with a strong majority of families saying they would recommend Sunshine Camp to others. Favorite activities ranged from swimming and s’mores to camp Olympics and special theme days.
ET KidZone: Before & After School Care
ET KidZone continued to grow as a trusted before- and after-school program for families in Cary School District 26. During the 2024–2025 school year, total participation reached 30,617 visits, marking a significant increase over previous years.
The program’s flexible scheduling, convenient school-based locations, and variety of daily activities made it a reliable option for working families. In addition to regular programming, ET KidZone’s Day-Off School programs offered on-site activities and popular field trips, many of which filled quickly and included waitlists. Based on demand, additional transportation capacity is planned for future years to serve more participants.
Sunburst Bay Aquatic Center
The Sunburst Bay Aquatic Center experienced another strong season in 2025, opening for its fourth year on May 24. Overall attendance increased 17% from 2024, with nearly 68,000 total visits throughout the season.
Special events like Tween Nights, Float Night, Dive-In Movies, and the Stars N’ Stripes Fest drew hundreds of guests, while cabana rentals and snack shack sales continued to grow. Aquatic fitness programming also saw a 12% increase in attendance, and expanded pre-season staff training helped ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all guests. Sunburst Bay also earned community recognition for both its swim lessons and aquatic facility offerings.
Why These Snapshots Matter
These annual program snapshots help the Cary Park District evaluate what’s working, identify trends, and plan for future improvements. They also offer transparency to the community by showing how programs are used, how they evolve year-to-year, and how they continue to meet the needs of residents.