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parks and progress
On June 14, 1966 the voters in Vermilion County approved the creation of a Conservation District whose primary function is to preserve natural and historic lands for the education, pleasure, and recreation of the people. Upon the approval of a Master Outdoor Recreation Plan by the State of Illinois in the Spring of 1967, acquisition started on the first project area in the southeastern part of the County which was to be called FOREST GLEN PRESERVE. As of now it encompasses over 1600 acres and stretches for almost two miles along the west bank of the Vermilion River with the balance of about 100 acres in the final stages of negotiation. Matching funds of close to a quarter of a million dollars on the purchase of this land have been received from the Federal Bureau of Outdoor Recreation thru the Illinois Department of Conservation. The area is known as Howard's Hollow by local residents and is marked with deep, shaded glens that vary over 180' in elevation from the river bed. Such topography accounts for the wide variety of plant and animal life that contributes to its invaluable use as an outdoor laboratory. According to the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission it represents an outstanding example of the Beech-Maple forest of which only a few remnants are found in this State. Development of the basic facilities started in the Spring of 1968 with the first public building, EDGEWOOD VISITOR CENTER, opened and dedicated on October 13 of that same year. A new entrance drive from the county blacktop on the south is nearing completion, a temporary primitive-type campgrounds is currently in use, and a 73' high observation tower, overlooking the river valley, is soon to be erected. A nature trail system of varying lengths and difficulty of travel is being developed and picnic areas are being created as the network of new roads is expanded.
A full conservation education program is being offered under the direction of a professional Naturalist that includes visiting lectures in the schools, field trips to the Preserve, adult nature study classes, junior naturalist club, and a summer day camp for 1st thru 6th grade children. These activities will be headquartered in WILLOW SHORES NATURE CENTER which was dedicated on May 10, 1970. It is a sturdy, five bedroom farm house that has been remodeled to provide these facilities;
1. Naturalist Office
With over 300 volumes of books, innumerable pamphlets, and several dozen periodicals devoted entirely to conservation-related subjects the library is operated on a conventional check-out system basis for residents in the County. It also features a complete array of Walt Disney nature films and hundreds of slides on plant and animal life. The long range plan calls for a large meeting room addition on the north end of the library and the hay barn on the north to be renovated for additional classroom space. Upon the impoundment of the stream to the west for the proposed lake, this nature-center campus will occupy a strategic location on the tail-waters where aquatic and bird life are most abundant. Future improvements in the Preserve are planned to provide a broad spectrum of facilities to satisfy the varied demands of an outdoor recreation-minded public. The highlights of such a development program are as follows: 1. Fishing, swimming, and wildlife lake that will cover 65 surface acres and have over 4 1/2 miles of shoreline. A road will cross the dam to provide access to the beach and boat rental areas on the west bank. Continued on Page 139 Illinois Parks and Recreation 129 September/October 1970 Parks and Progress Continued from Page 129
2. Shelter houses on the bluffs of the river and the lake.
Additional information on programs and activities may be obtained through the District's Headquarters at 703 Kimber Street in Danville, Illinois. WELCOME TO CHAMPAIGN PARK DISTRICT'S MEETING CENTER by Patricia A. Norris Hundreds of Champaign residents streamed through the Champaign Park District's new Meeting Center on a rainy spring Sunday. The occasion was an Open House to acquaint townspeople with their new facilities. In addition to The Meeting Center they saw the shop maintenance building, garage and the park and recreation offices. There were many displays and demonstrations of Park District programs and activities of affiliated groups. The Meeting Center was the final step in the completion of a four building city-park district complex. In a fine example of cooperation the Champaign Park District shares the location with the City of Champaign for its garage and a fire station. The city bears a proportionate share of the cost.
The complex was planned and built to meet four major needs of the Park District and the community. The City needed a fire station and garage. The Park District needed an adequate maintenance shop, maintenance facilities and vehicle storage. With the unification of the park and recreation departments it had become desirable to locate all the administrative offices together. In addition to these needs, the city lacked any space in which community groups could meet. Money for the project and other Park District development was provided in a 1966 bond issue. The Meeting Center was planned especially for the needs of Champaign citizens. It can accommodate as many as four hundred people. The downstairs is an open, multipurpose room used for large meetings, banquets and recreational activities. The main floor has three meeting rooms divided by soundproof folding partitions which can be opened to make one large room. The brick fireplace, laminated wood beams and rough hewn cedar walls provide a warm comfortable atmosphere for a variety of recreation activities as well as public meetings. The south end of the main meeting room opens through sliding glass doors to a landscaped outdoor activity area. When the rooms are not being used for Park District programs they are available for use by local community organizations. The Model Railroad Club, Shutter Bugs and Genealogical Society are just a few of the organizations which have taken advantage of the new facility.
Park District administrative offices are housed in the remaining part of The Meeting Center. Included are the office of General Manager, Robert F. Toalson, the business office, park office and recreation office. There is a four hundred fifty square foot balcony above the first floor for expansion of offices when it is needed. Much of the Park District maintenance work is done in the shop-maintenance building. It contains a two-bay vehicle repair and maintenance section, a woodworking area, a painting room, a heated storage room, employees area and office. The two thousand eight hundred square foot garage has ten parking bays to house maintenance equipment for the parks. It also provides a large unheated storage area. Continued on Page 140 Illinois Parks and Recreation 139 September/October 1970
Parks and Progress Continued from Page 139
DIVISION OF PARKS AND MEMORIALS TRAINEES Thirty-one men and women, all from the East St. Louis area, have been enrolled in a new state training program designed to prepare them for careers with the Illinois Department of Conservation. All of the persons in training needed help of some kind. Many were on welfare, many had low-paying, unskilled jobs or no jobs at all. The trainees, ranging in age from 18 to 50, visited Governor Ogilvie in Springfield at the initiation of their training in June. While in Springfield, they were taken on tours of the Division of Parks and Memorials facilities in Springfield to acquaint them with some of the possible opportunities available to them in the Department. They are being trained in a wide variety of job skills as possibilities exist for their future employment as forestry aide, park-ranger aide, landscape contractor, surveyor's aide, photographer, clerk-typist, tourist guide, and camp-park administrator. Seven of the group were sent to the Department of Botany at Indiana University at Bloomington for intensive training in recreation gardening projects for youth at state facilities. Here they learned the basic skills to lead programs similar to the youth gardens program now being used in Washington, D.C. Another group was sent to Pere Marquette State Park for on-the-job training for two days in Forest Fire prevention, camping supervision, and park administration duties. This group included the Ranger, Forestry, Mechanic, and Photography trainees. The enthusiasm and morale is good, according to Perry Roberts, departmental spokesman for the group. The cost of the program is being shared by the state and the U.S. Department of Labor. Of the total 80% was spent directly on the trainees for salaries, transportation, and other related needs. They have been taking their training at Frank Holten State Park in the East St. Louis area near their homes. They receive regular salaries during the 48-week program. The first eight weeks were spent at the park, and the additional 40 weeks will be in various field capacities under supervision of the conservation department personnel. This in-service training for particular jobs will prepare each candidate for the qualifying personnel exam for the position of his choice. The conservation training program was drawn up by Floyd Barlow, divisional director of community services in the Governor's Office of Human Resources. Charles Shankin is the project director. Those who complete the 48-week course early will make room for other persons to be enrolled. Some may complete their training and be ready for permanent positions in September. This program was created a year ago to coordinate training and financing of the candidates for employment in permanent conservation department positions under the personnel code of the State of Illinois.
Illinois Parks and Recreation 140 September/October 1970 |
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