Oak Brook Park District employee uses technical talents to create a luminescent winter wonderland

By Valerie Hardy

Thanks to Robert Pechous’ design and animation skills, Oak Brook is about to get merrier – and a watt brighter – this holiday season. Pechous, the Director of Recreation and Communications for the Oak Brook Park District, has been the creative and technological force behind the community’s ever-evolving automated Winter Lights display since its inception in 2020.

However, the display was the brainchild of Laure Kosey, longtime Executive Director for the Park District. The weather was getting colder, and the lights display concept offered a safe and festive way to get people outdoors when the pandemic put a pause on most activities.

Pechous became the natural choice to spearhead the project, as he had been creating similar displays – on a smaller scale – at his home in Wheaton. In fact, Pechous won awards from the City of Wheaton and the Daily Herald for his exterior holiday décor.

His background in technology and familiarity with all things Park District also made Pechous the right man for the job. The Elmhurst native attended College of DuPage and Northern Illinois University, receiving a certificate in Technology Information Systems among other credentials. He started working for the Park District 20 years ago as a lifeguard, working his way up to his current position, which oversees approximately one-third of the agency’s functions, including Information Technology.

Pechous explained that the display requires “literally miles of extension cords” and involves 32 different timing systems. Each scene has its own computer controls. “The goal is to not have the whole display go out!” Pechous said.

Another goal is for admission to the display to be free. This is possible thanks to generous corporate and individual donors. “Since day one, the display has been fully funded through sponsorship,” Pechous said.

Though free to attend the display, some nights, a “Cocoa Cabin” offers hot chocolate and cookies for purchase. Visitors also have the option to donate to two nonprofits: People’s Resource Center and the Oak Brook Park District Foundation.

Another goal Pechous holds for the display is for it to be unique and make the list of top lights displays in the area. “Ours is small, but sometimes it still makes it on the list. A lot of people know about it,” he said.

This is, at least in part, due to the display’s visibility from Route 83. The display is situated along a half-mile loop in Oak Brook’s Central Park. The path is accessible, so guests can easily “walk or roll the loop,” Pechous said.

The display is family- and pet-friendly. It also attracts groups of all ages – from scouts to seniors.
Last year’s display was the most attended one to date, with approximately 47,000 visitors. The Park District uses video analytics to count how many people walk through the display each day. The busiest times include weekends and days with nice weather.

The display is open daily 4:30-9:30 p.m. (unless the Park District closes due to inclement weather). It will run Nov. 22 – Jan. 5, but set-up begins earlier.

It takes considerable time and staff to prepare the lights display each year. “The dedicated Parks Department primarily sets it up,” Pechous said, “but it takes volunteers from other depart-ments as well.”

Pechous is integrally involved in constructing the display, often working on it late into the evening in the days leading up to its opening.

This does not bother Pechous a bit. He said, “I wish I could personally work on it all day.”

Each year, Pechous challenges himself to find ways to repurpose existing materials to keep the display new and exciting. He said there will be some new additions this year as well, including a pixel tunnel and light-up penguins.

While the display is enough to attract people to Oak Brook during the holiday season, many visitors pair a night seeing the lights with shopping and dining at neighboring stores and restaurants. For this reason, Pechous explained, the display is “good for the whole community.”