About Us

We are enriching our community’s quality of life, health & wellness, education, and economic vitality by providing outstanding parks, facilities, and recreational opportunities.

Pink flowers at the Rock Garden

Mission

The mission of the Decatur Park District is to enrich our community’s quality of life, health & wellness, education, and economic vitality by providing outstanding parks, facilities, and recreational opportunities.

Vision

Our vision is to be a park district of excellence that enhances our community’s growth, prosperity, and quality of life.

Values

Our values include integrity, sustainability, service, partnership, and safety.

Our Goals

To fulfill our mission to enrich the community’s quality of life, health & wellness, education, and economic vitality by providing outstanding parks, facilities, and recreational opportunities, the Decatur Park District has established the following goals.

Integrity

Sustainability

Service

Partnerships

Safety

Integrity

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Execute our duties ethically, with honesty and Integrity.

  • Maintain a transparent, open-door policy in meeting with and responding to questions and concerns from the community.
  • Promptly fulfill requests for public information as dictated by Illinois statute.
  • Complete an annual independent audit of the District’s financial records and internal controls by a certified public accounting firm.

Sustainability

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Execute our duties ethically, with honesty and Sustainability.

  • Maintain a transparent, open-door policy in meeting with and responding to questions and concerns from the community.
  • Promptly fulfill requests for public information as dictated by Illinois statute.
  • Complete an annual independent audit of the District’s financial records and internal controls by a certified public accounting firm.

Service

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Execute our duties ethically, with honesty and Service.

  • If you have time and interest in volunteering, please contact Aly Delatte, Director of the Decatur Parks Foundation! She’ll connect you with the program or activity that interests you most! Choose from events in golf, soccer, and special recreation. How about coaching  baseball, softball, or lacrosse?  Prefer a one-time clean-up day? She can arrange that, too! Call Aly at 217-422-5911 or email adelatte@decparks.com.

Partnerships

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Execute our duties ethically, with honesty and Partnerships.

  • The Decatur Park District benefits from valuable partnerships with local corporations that champion park and recreation efforts and enable us to implement initiatives to the betterment of our community.
  • We are grateful for the support of corporate partners ADM, Ameren, Decatur Memorial Hospital, Neuhoff Media, First Mid Bank & Trust, and Primient.

Safety

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Execute our duties ethically, with honesty and Safety.

  • The Decatur Park District strives to ensure that playground equipment, park grounds, and facilities remain in excellent condition. Please help us in this effort. Follow safety rules posted at park sites and note age designations for appropriate use of equipment.
  • If you see or hear of vandalism to park property, find broken playground equipment, or discover anything else you consider hazardous, please call 217-422-5911

We work so you can play!

See what we’ve been working on and what we’re planning for the future.

Upcoming Projects
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2024

Splash Cove Waterpark

Splash Cove features a lazy river, zero-depth entry leisure pool with an interactive play structure, wet deck, lily pad crossing feature, and vortex, an 8-lane lap pool with zip line, rock climbing wall, 3-meter diving board, 6 meter high dive, 4 body slides, and a zero-depth entry baby pool. A full service concession stand is also available.

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2024

Scovill Zoo

Scovill Zoo is located in the 62-acre Scovill Park overlooking Lake Decatur. Fifteen acres of exhibits attract visitors from 285 zip codes. This unique recreational, educational facility offers visitor contact with exotic and domestic animals, horticultural displays and gardens, natural wooded beauty, and family picnicking, all within the confines of a park that benefited from the addition of a sculpture park funded by the Howard G. Buffett Foundation.

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2024

Decatur Indoor Sports Center

With 87,000 square feet of space, the DISC has everything you need for active FUN, fitness, and adventure!

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2024

Decatur Aiport

Skip the drive! Be home sooner by flying from your local airport. Save money!

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2024

Overlook Adventure Park

Escape to the lake at Overlook Adventure park, featuring two 18-hole, accessible mini golf courses, a high ropes course, and batting cages!

Helpful Resources

Plans policies

Plans & Policies
Scholarships

Scholarships
Donation request

Donation Request
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2020

In 2020, we earned the Class IV NRPA National Gold Medal Award!

2021

In 2021, we earned the Class IV NRPA National Gold Medal Award!

Regional & National Recognition

The District operates 2,000 acres of park land, an indoor sports center, regional airport, two golf courses, softball, soccer and tennis complexes, athletic fields, a community aquatics center, an AZA-accredited zoo, arts & recreation center, senior center, and Overlook Adventure Park. The Decatur Park District strives to enrich the lives of all in our community and continues to earn honors for its partnerships and service excellence.

Awards & Recognition

Supporting your park district

If you have time and interest in volunteering, please contact Aly Delatte, Director of the Decatur Parks Foundation! She’ll connect you with the program or activity that interests you most! Choose from events in golf, soccer, and special recreation. How about coaching  baseball, softball, or lacrosse?  Prefer a one-time clean-up day? She can arrange that, too! Call Aly at 217-422-5911 or email adelatte@decparks.com.

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Volunteers

Explore opportunities

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Donate

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Memorials

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Sponsor

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The people who make it happen

The Park District is the leading sports & recreation provider in the greater Decatur area. Join us and become a part of our award-winning team! The Park District offers a wide range of job opportunities, including seasonal, part-time, and full-time positions. The Decatur Park District is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

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Staff

We work so you can play! The Decatur Park District team brings various skill sets, talents and experience to the community of Decatur.

Staff directory
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Board of Commissioners

The Board determines the priorities and defines policies for financing, governing, operation and administration of the District.

Get to know the Board
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Decatur Parks Foundation

The Parks Foundation encourages economic development, nurtures our citizens’ health and well-being, and enhances our community’s quality of life.

About the Foundation

Join our team

The Park District is the leading sports & recreation provider in the greater Decatur area. Join us and become a part of our award-winning team! The Park District offers a wide range of job opportunities, including seasonal, part-time, and full-time positions.

Current opportunities
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