Park Board Hopes to Move Ahead w/Harmony Playground

Effingham Park Board members Wednesday discussed plans to move ahead with construction of Harmony Playground in 2018.

Park District Director Jeff Althoff said $400,000 has been raised for development of the accessible playground. Another $300,000 will be sought, with the Park District working in conjunction with the Southeastern Illinois Community Foundation to come up with the balance. Althoff said he'd like work on the playground to begin early next year if the funds are in place.

One change in the project is where the playground will be located. Althoff said it will now be located north of the tennis courts at Evergreen Hollow Park, east across Maple Street from the Workman Sports and Wellness Complex, rather than northwest of the complex. He said that location is farther from the noise of the interstate, since the noise could have a negative effect on some of the children using the playground. Althoff said there are also plans for additional parking and a pavilion at the site of the playground.

Still on the horizon is a dog park, also to be developed at Evergreen Hollow. Althoff said the site for the dog park is still north of the wooded area by the current playground, brown pavilion and red pavilion at the park.

The Park Board also passed the appropriations ordinance for the new fiscal year.