Decatur’s Fairview Park playground getting $1.2M revamp

DECATUR, Ill. (WCIA) — A $1.2 million Illinois Department of Natural Resources grant is seeking to turn Decatur’s Fairview Park playground into a destination.

The current playground equipment is approaching 20 years old. The new project is looking to change that. For starters, the new playground will include more climbing structures and active play for the kids. It will also have an inclusive swing area for people with disabilities.

The Decatur Park District Executive Director Clay Gerhard says they are ahead of schedule.

“It’s not your typical neighborhood park playground of ‘I live within two blocks and I’m just going to go play.’ You are making an intentional effort to go to this playground because of its size and magnitude and what it has to offer,” he said. “So, that excites me, to bring something new to Fairview Park and bring some people, I think, back to Fairview Park that maybe have forgotten about it over the years.”

The current plan is to begin playground construction in late June. They are still waiting on the park sewer project to finish.

The hope is to have the playground done by late August.

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