Set in the heart of the Levee District, adjacent to City Hall and the Fondulac District Library, Levee Park will feature a spectacular water feature, venues for markets and festivals in an open multipurpose lawn, space for sporting and music events, and terraced seating areas. Designed to be family-friendly, the park will also accommodate daily activities, such as casual strolling, gathering, and outdoor dining from adjacent restaurants.
Most importantly, the park will become the new iconic face of East Peoria – green, growing, and family centered.
The goal of the new park is to draw people regularly into our downtown district to spur economic activity and growth, reconnect and beautify our downtown, and provide the infrastructure needed for community activities and events. The Foundation Board views this undertaking as being a once-in-a-century opportunity to develop a green, family friendly space right in the center of our downtown that will for decades be thought of as the iconic heart of the city.
In addition to private donations, the Foundation received a $500,000 Illinois DCEO Capital Development Grant and a $400,000 IDNR OSLAD Matching Grant.
The total Levee Park project is about $3 million. The initial phase, a Reading Garden (shown in blue above), has been completed. The second phase (in green) is in process and will be completed in Spring 2024. This phase includes a community stage, public restrooms, electrical infrastructure, walking paths, and landscaping. With thanks to businesses and individuals who’ve made generous contributions, the park has been fully funded through these two phases.
The last phase (in yellow) will include a splash pad/playable fountain for children and terraced seating for the community stage. It’s anticipated to cost about $1 million and will be completed in 2024. Another $500,000 is still needed to complete this last phase. The Foundation is in the last stretch of fundraising and hopes to close this $500,000 gap within the next six months. We are appealing to the citizens and businesses connected to East Peoria to help close this shortfall.
