If it’s been awhile since you visited Danville’s Ellsworth Park, you may be surprised by some major improvements there. No longer is there a softball field when you first enter the park from the west. It has been replaced by a basketball court. Nearby there is a new concession stand and restrooms (located on higher ground than the old ones because the park has a history of flooding in past years), a new covered shelter, and new playground equipment.
And new sidewalks in the park are a great place for those who enjoy simply taking a walk.
Danville Parks and Recreation Superintendent Steve Lane says Public Works employees did nearly all of the work…including installing a new 9 hole disc golf course. Lane says the City of Danville was awarded a $373,900 Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development Grant from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources which paid half the cost of the upgrades. He adds the use of city employees to make the improvements counted toward the City of Danville’s in-kind contribution.
Lane hated to see the old softball field go, adding, ”but in this day and age the field was undersized.” And he also noted there are two tees on the seventh hole of the new disc golf course. ”One is for people who are brave enough to throw across the (North Fork) river. The other is for those who want to walk across the foot bridge – there’s a 7-A and a 7-B.”
(One of the signs at Danville’s Disc Golf Course.)
Although most of the work is done, Lane adds the park will be seeing more improvements. He says new goal posts should arrive soon for an area just south of the new basketball court. Those goal posts and some new bleachers will be placed in an open area that can be used for football or soccer games. ‘’There’s also a game called Ultimate Frisbee that would be good for that area,’’ said Lane.
Lane also noted the new 9 Hole Disc Golf course has already attracted a lot of people.
‘’It’s a great response – there always seems to be people down there,’’ said Lane during an interview with VermilionCountyFirst.com News. And Lane is hopeful the city will be able to add another 9 holes by using the portion of Ellsworth Park which is south of U.S. route 150.
The park has lots of history and Lane says hopefully some bricks from the former Danville Brick Company will soon fill a vacant circle along a new sidewalk. Lane notes that a century ago Danville Brick Company was located just west of the park.
City Public Works crews have also been helping Danville Ambucs with upgrades at the Ambucs’ Playground for Everyone at Winter Park.
Lane notes that playground is now 20 years old. ‘’It’s on its second generation,’’ says Lane. But he adds once improvements there are done it will look new again.
