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2022/04/25 - Mayor's Column: Community Park Enhancements

 

­“AN OPEN DOOR TO O’FALLON”
A WEEKLY NOTE FROM MAYOR HERB ROACH
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Over the years, O’Fallon has done a good job of developing excellent parks across the city. Everyone knows about the Family Sports Park with all of the beautiful soccer and baseball fields, splash pad and walking trails. But, in fact our parks system is not just one park, but ten that cover the entire community. O’Fallon’s parks rank among the best, if not the best parks in the region.

I’m very excited to announce three major additions/happenings at our oldest park, the O’Fallon Community Park that have just been approved by the City Council.  Community Park sits along Route 50 and is home of the Memorial Swimming Pool, Katy Cavins Center, and City Fest. 

During the next two years, this park will undergo a major change and will bring exciting new features.  These will include:

  1. A total rebuild and enlargement of the City Pool. The current pool is over 60 years old and needs major work. When it was built our population was only about 4,000.  It will also have several new features added to the pool.
  2. The development of new lighted walking paths that will wind through the park making it enjoyable and safe for people who want a place to walk.
  3. A new playground for children of all abilities.

We have some of the best sporting venues in the region for children that can compete in sports activities. We also want children that can’t be involved in those activities to enjoy our parks. They too need areas that will allow them to be active, laugh and play, and enjoy some outside activities. They soon will have that opportunity here in O’Fallon.

The City of O’Fallon is pledging $500,000 towards the All-Abilities Playground. But, we can make it bigger and better if we get volunteers to help build the playground and/or donations from sponsors. Every dollar that we can save by using volunteer labor or from donations will be put into expanding the playground and making it better for the children.

We will be reaching out to individuals, organizations, and companies later to see if they are interested in helping make this a great facility.  In the meantime, if you want to help with this very special project in any way, please let me know at [email protected]. 

I know that my family will be offering both labor and a donation to this project for all children.

I believe our Park’s Department and City Council have done a good job of developing activities and venues that will serve a broad range of our city’s population with these new developments.

As residents of O’Fallon, you should always be able to reach out to your elected officials and ask questions about what is happening in O’Fallon. Having open communications is important to me and something I care very deeply about. Thank you for reading, and please remember, my door is always open.