Scovill Park West – Senior Center
Constructing a new Senior Center facility will allow us to meet the needs of the largest growing demographic of our community, seniors ages 55 & up, however it is going to require a significant investment. We anticipate needing approximately 35,000 square feet in a new facility to accommodate the growing needs of our senior population.
Looking to position all these services at Scovill Park West, the Park District has applied for and been preliminarily awarded a PARC grant through the Illinois Department of Natural Resources for $2.8M. It is estimated an additional $3M-$4M will be needed to complete the project. Funding for this new facility will come from multiple sources including grant funding, Park District Capital Development bonds, and private donations. In addition to constructing a new facility, the operational budget for the new activity center will approach $400,000 annually. The Park District is working to secure operational funds from several State agencies however we anticipate needing an additional $150,000 annually from other sources to supplement the operational needs of a new center. The Park District Foundation is working to establish an endowment for the operational needs and would ensure the success and longevity of a new senior center with expanded offerings.
The New Senior Center will include:
- Balanced daily meals, Coordinated point of entry services and referrals, Health screenings offered by area nurses, Senior Health Insurance Program (SHIP), Medicare, and Medicaid counseling, Diabetes screenings and shoe clinics, Tax Preparation, Nutritional assistance, Computer Lab with volunteers to help bridge the technology gap, Access to Public transportation, Active recreation through low impact sports programming (aerobics, yoga, virtual reality games, and yes, possibly even pickleball too!), Exercise equipment, Modest indoor walking track, Bingo, Mahjong, Billiards, Movie theater, Walking trails, Outdoor fitness opportunities, Garden areas, and Access to ample parking
Alligator Exhibit at Scovill Zoo
A generous donor has committed a $250,000 matching gift towards the expansion and improvement of the alligator exhibit and holding building. Fundraising efforts over the last year have yielded positive results and with the matching gift, we are approximately $750,000 shy of our goal for this $1.5M project – so half-way there! Fundraising efforts by the Foundation could help bring the alligator exhibit to fruition in a short amount of time with concentrated efforts. The holding building would also be sized to accommodate the adjacent American River Otter exhibit in the years following the alligator exhibit construction.
Foundation Goal: $750,000
Click here to view G and Elle’s swim at Splash Cove!
Fairview Park Destination Playground
Fairview Park has seen several changes over the last several years and needs a new attraction to breathe life back into the park. The existing playground in Fairview was installed in 1995 and needs to be upgraded. Staff have been working with engineers to design a new playground that will be a complete departure from our typical playground. This new, innovative playground will rival the ones at Scovill Zoo and Overlook Adventure Park – two of our most utilized playgrounds.
Now the west end of Decatur will have a large, accessible, and unique playground. Think American Ninja Warrior. Think organic play with a bike skills course to teach youngsters how to safely navigate our larger trail network. A playground that not only promotes play through the traditional sliding and swinging we are accustomed to but one that also promotes active, physical play to improve the development of our youth.
This project is being partially funded through an OSLAD grant. The total cost of the destination playground is approximately $1.5M with $600,000 coming from the grant.
Foundation Goal: $350,000
Garfield Park
Originally constructed in 1939, Garfield Park is centered in one of the most impoverished neighborhoods in the west end of Decatur. Many of the park amenities are spread out with significant distance between areas including the parking lot, pavilion, playground, and basketball courts making it difficult for parents and guardians to monitor their children while at play.
The current Master Plan also identifies the need to downsize the amount of land the District maintains and through a cooperative effort with the City of Decatur, Garfield Park will serve as the revitalization catalyst for this neighborhood. The City is working with a Developer to rehabilitate the former Garfield/Durfee school into mixed-use housing as well as construct additional housing in the field to the south of the school and potentially into a portion of the current park. The City has agreed to contribute $250,000 towards the park revitalization, however to complete the remaining elements of the park, funding from other sources such as the Foundation will need to be secured.
The new park design will include include new, innovative playground equipment, centralized parking, new adult basketball courts along with a child sized court, an additional pavilion, upgraded restroom facilities, security cameras, and in a Park District first, technology will be integrated into the park with the addition of an interactive ball wall designed to promote teamwork and develop the skills used in football, soccer, and other sports.
Foundation Goal: $250,000