Park District to Honor Former Colleague, Now Village Attorney

In 1973, Bolingbrook’s population was a mere 7,800 and Jim Boan had just stepped off the campus of the University of Illinois with a degree in landscape architecture and into the role of Bolingbrook Park District Superintendent of Parks.

Employed on the heels of a referendum that earmarked funding to build parks in the village, Boan spearheaded the development of 16 neighborhood park sites as well as overseeing the installation of playgrounds at each of the village’s public elementary schools.

Boan will be immortalized April 30 as the Bolingbrook Park District honors his service on the parks behalf, naming 27 acres of open space and high-quality woodlands the James S. Boan Woods at .

The ceremony, which will be held at 10 a.m., seems fitting for a man who has committed much of his life to making Bolingbrook one of the most desirable communities to live in in the entire country.

Just the park district’s third hire, Boan remembers reporting daily to headquarters—a two story farmhouse affectionately named the "White House".

"We ran everything from the site where Independence School now sits," Boan said. "The house was part of the Sugarbrook development and was donated by builders Kaufman and Broadus.

"We used the three bedrooms downstairs as offices, meetings were held in the dining room, which served as our board room and the secretary had a desk in the parlor area. There was an old barn on the site for the first tractor that we used for mowing," he said.

Boan, who has played one of the more significant roles in the park district's development, tends to steer the conversation toward the spirit of collaboration within community and enthuses about how proud he is to be considered a contributor to Bolingbrook’s growth.

Contributor indeed.

Boan played a key role in purchasing the property which now houses current park district headquarters at the . 

As a result of Boan's direction, the park district won its first of many gold medals for Excellence in the Field of Park and Recreation Management from the National Recreation and Parks Association and Sports Foundation.

"Jim was instrumental in the development of park amenities such as the for senior citizens, a special recreation program for the mentally and physically disabled as well as the construction of the ," said Bolingbrook Park District Public Relations Director Dan Leahy. "We’ve built on a solid foundation that Jim laid."

As the population swelled to 38,000 in 1984, Boan continually challenged himself, juggling various responsibilities like starting a family and going back to school part-time in the evenings, initially conferring a Masters degree in public administration on his way to earning a juris doctorate.

"Barry Moss, who was the village attorney at the time, was my mentor," Boan said. "I was inspired by the work he was doing and he encouraged me pursue a career in law."

Ready for a change in 1984, Boan left the park district for a lucrative partnership stake in a local real estate law firm. Boan also utilized his Masters in public administration by serving as chairman of the Kendall County Board from 1988 to 1994, as well as a member of the Kendall Country Public Building Commission from 1989 until 1995.

In 1997, Boan was hired by the village to fill the position of city administrator, which was vacated by Bill Charninsky.

Then in 2001, his title was changed to chief of staff and later converted to village attorney.

"I have known Jim long before he was the village's administrator or currently as the attorney," said Village Clerk Carol Penning. "I have known Jim since he was Bolingbrook Park District director. He has an even keel personality—steady, calm and sensible. He is great to work with, smart, a part of the solution and has been a real asset for Bolingbrook."

Deputy Mayor Leroy Brown seconded the opinion.

"Jim is a very competent person and very well respected by many, because of the passion he has for this community," Brown said.

Boan's dedication will be open to the public and all are welcome to attend. For more information, call (630) 783-6509.