Skate Park Opening Soon

A skate park in American Legion Park in Willow Springs is set to open in the next few weeks. This project has been two years in the making said Healthy Schools, Healthy Communities Coordinator, Freda Carr. The Willow Springs City Council approved plans to move forward in 2018, and since then, the location, which is directly east of the entrance to Palenske Field, has made a complete transformation. 

Formerly, the location was a tennis court, Carr reported. With a new concrete pad and a sloping entrance to accommodate children of all abilities, the skate park features two curved ramps, a double-sided straight-angle ramp, and several rails. The rails and ramps are meant for use with skateboard, bicycles, or scooters. There is a basketball hoop at the other end of the new concrete pad. 

“It’s been pretty exciting,” Carr said, “Kids are looking forward to it…It will give the kids of the community something else to do.”

The skate park has been made possible by a partnership between Healthy Schools, Healthy Communities and the City of Willow Springs. Each entity has contributed funds and has participated in the planning and execution of the new park. 

The funding that has fueled Healthy Schools, Healthy Communities will run out this September. This skate park is the last large-scale project the agency will complete for the children and community of Willow Springs. Their other notable projects in Willow Springs have included Kids’ Yoga by the Lake, cooking classes, all-ability swings in two city parks, and overhead shade structures at the city pool. 

The skate park is not open for use as of press time, but the children and skating community of Willow Springs should be able to make use of it soon. Both Willow Springs City Administrator Beverly Hicks and Carr indicated they believed the grand opening will take place within a week or two.