In the winter, the Watts Center is a hotspot for Glencoe sports. The center has two outdoor ice rinks for hockey and skating and a sledding hill. When weather permits, the center opens the day after Thanksgiving and closes after the first Sunday in March. The rinks are open for recreational skating, hockey and skating lessons and private parties. There are also soccer fields, three tennis courts and a Frisbee golf course across the street.
Providing all types of support to local families at low cost, the Family Service of Glencoe is a non-profit organization funded in part by the Village of Glencoe and other local sources. It offers counseling, psychotherapy, domestic violence intervention, housing assistance and other services. It is staffed by professionals.
Glencoe Union Church is a non-denominational Protestant church that sits just east of the downtown Glencoe area. It has one Sunday service at 10 a.m. and Sunday school classes for children. In addition, the church has Bible study courses for adults, typically offered on Thursday evenings. Music plays an important role in the church services, so Glencoe Union has a number of choirs, including a handbell choir and a children's choir. Parking can usually be found along Park Avenue.
This Reform congregation can be found on Vernon Ave. just north of downtown Glencoe. Am Shalom's goal is to, "engage, enlighten, embrace and educate" its members in community-building and respect for different forms of expression. With a membership of 950 families, Am Shalom has grown considerably since its founding more than 35 years ago. Led by Senior Rabbi Steven Stark Lowenstein, this Jewish community offers religious education as well as a number of youth programs.
The Takiff Center—also known as the Glencoe Park District Center—is a sprawling complex that includes indoor and outdoor athletic facilities. The center offers an impressive amount of programs for both children and adults, including summer camps. The center is nearly 100 years old, and the extent of the facilities and programs it provides demonstrates a commitment to the community.
Glencoe Youth Services is a place for teens to hang out after school hours and on weekends. GYS offers study hours, as well as recreational activities, including television, video games, board games, computers and internet access, speakers, volunteer opportunities, pool, field trips and movie nights. Leadership opportunities are also available through the GYS youth board.
Next to the Writer's Theater at Women's Club of Glencoe, this park is essentially the building's yard. Yet, it is quite peaceful, and with a picnic table in the middle of a beautiful flower bed, it is a great place to go for some serenity. Just north of downtown, and down the street from Friends Park, Women's Library Club Park is perfect for those seeking something a little more out of the way.
This park, just east of Green Bay Road and across from Veteran's Memorial Park has plenty of room. Its draws include great shade, a relaxing swing and basketball courts. The Liza Bates MacLeod Gazebo also graces the area. Dedicated to MacLeod, who died of leukemia at 11, it remembers her as, "an everlasting symbol of commitment , caring and heroism," and honors a long list of benefactors, patrons and sponsors.
Located in the heart of downtown, the Glencoe Public Library is the place to check out a new title, an old favorite, or relax in the company of classic literature. The library offers programming for adults, children and teens, from discussion groups to storytimes.
Members can search for titles in the library's online catalog and access electronic resources from home. By entering a library card number, cardholders can download audiobooks and ebooks, access LexisNexis and other many other online databases and archives. Staff members also run a blog with reviews and recommendations.
The library accepts book donations in boxes located just inside the main door. Friends of the Library hosts three book sales each year.
The library also has one room that can be reserved for non-commercial purposes. Visit the library's website for more information.
This small church is located on Washington Avenue, near the border of Glencoe and Winnetka. St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church offers a music ministry and missionary opportunities.
This Jewish worship center exists on lakefront property just off of Sheridan Road in Glencoe. North Shore Congregation Israel was founded in 1920 as a branch of the Classical Reform Sinai Congregation but split with Sinai four years later. Led by Rabbi Steven S. Mason, NSCI is a progressive Jewish community that offers a place of worship and Jewish education for North Shore families. NCSI also provides a Jewish education program for children newborn through four years.
