Maria Cumpata not only witnessed the evolution of Elgin’s Parks and Recreation Department over the course of her 35-year career, she played a pivotal role in its transformation.
The biggest moment came with the opening of the Edward Schock Centre of Elgin in November 2002, said Cumpata, who retired last week as department director.
“(The recreational center) changed the face of what our department was all about,” she said. “We had our own facility. We could program and schedule as we wanted. We didn’t have to work around availability around other facilities. We could schedule things (in a) way that was going to be a benefit for the community.”
Born and raised in Elgin, Cumpata was hired in February 1990 as a program supervisor, one of just two people handling recreational programming for the city.
“We were doing early childhood preschool classes, dance programs, afterschool programs and open gym,” she said.
Without any facilities of its own at the time, city programs and events were held at schools, in church basements and anywhere else they could find available space, she said.
It was unusual for a town the size of Elgin not to have its own recreational facility and something long they’d “dreamed of” before it became reality, Cumpata said.
Having the opportunity to help plan and oversee the Schock Centre’s construction was “just amazing” and “hands down the highlight of my career,” she said. When it celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2022, Elgin Mayor Dave Kaptain described it as the “largest urban redevelopment project in the city’s history.”
However, it’s just one of several projects Cumpata helped spearhead over her tenure. Other developments she’s overseen include the Highlands of Elgin Golf Course, Bowes Creek Golf Course, the aquatics centers at Lords Park and Wing Park, and Hawthorn Hill Nature Center.
“Nobody in public service in this community has changed the face of this city as Maria Cumpata has in her efforts to provide recreation services that all our residents can share,” according to a proclamation read in honor of her retirement at last week’s Elgin City Council meeting.
One project she’s helped launch is the Elgin Sports Complex expansion.
“Obviously I’m not going to be there to see its completion, but we got it out of the starting gate and the staff will be able to oversee that expansion,” Cumpata said.
It’s on schedule to be completed by late fall 2025 or early spring 2026, she said.
The hardest time of her career was the COVID-19 pandemic five years ago, she said.
“It was nothing I would ever want to go through again. It was very challenging,” Cumpata said. “The parks and rec operation was basically shut down. Our facilities were closed. Even our outdoor playgrounds were closed.
“It made us all realize we need to keep investing in our facilities and our parks, ensuring they are up to date and state of the art,” she said. “We’ve had some great support the last five years from the city council in doing exactly that and updating our park facilities.”
Elgin has 75 parks with 46 playgrounds. The department tries to budget for two playground renovations a year, she said.
She describes her management style as laid-back, her goal being to hire the most qualified, experienced staff she could so they could do their jobs without a lot of interference from her, she said.
Cumpata said she believes she’s leaving the department in good shape, with a master plan for Wing Park underway and major renovations and improvements slated to start in 2026. Among the things residents might expect to see is new playground, more walking paths and new seating near the park’s band shell, she said.
Wing Park is also getting a new golf clubhouse with golf simulators, which will help make the course there a year-round operation when complete, she said.
More Top Picks Best Magnifying Lamps For Crafts
The Jack E. Cook Park, a 224-acre facility on Switzer Road, will become the city’s first regional park to open in decades and will include the city’s first dog park. “We are in the final phase of that this year,” Cumpata said.
Other than for a year she spent with a small park district, her entire career has been with the city of Elgin.
“I grew up playing sports so I always had a passion for sports. I kind of wanted to get into the business side,” said Cumpata, who earned a degree in sports management from Northern Illinois University. “This was a perfect fit.”
Cumpata and her husband will remain in Elgin. They are planning a trip to Florida in a couple of weeks and will spend more time in Wisconsin, she said, but otherwise she’s just going to “kick back and relax for a little bit and enjoy some free time.”
Cumpata has been succeeded by Jennifer Hermonson, who started in January. Hermonson spent six years as the executive director of the Addison Park District and prior to that held several positions for the Streamwood Park District, according to her LinkedIn page. She has an MBA from the Keller Graduate School of Management.
Gloria Casas is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.