Reflecting on a 10-year journey to bring Levee Park to downtown East Peoria, Sue Portscheller took a moment to absorb the reality.
“I don’t think I’ve taken that all in yet,” said Portscheller, president of the all-volunteer East Peoria Community Foundation. “It’s a dream come true, really, to be at this point of our project.”
Portscheller joined a host of other community and civic leaders Wednesday for a soft opening and ribbon cutting at the new open space adjacent to City Hall and across from the Levee District shopping center.
“I think it’s going to be a draw, just a natural draw for people to come down here, stop here, take pictures here, bring lunch over,” said Portscheller. “Moms can let their toddlers play in the splash pad, and they can sit right on the edge. They don’t have to get wet, but they can watch their kiddos play.”
Funding for the $3 million park came entirely through community donations and state grants, with Portscheller crediting State Sen. Dave Koehler and former State Rep. Mike Unes for their assistance.
“Over the 10 years, we’ve spent a lot of time meeting with people [and] asking for money, meeting with companies, and also applying for number of grants,” said Portscheller. “The state grants is tax money, but somebody in our state is going to get it. Why not East Peoria?”
Portscheller said the notion for a downtown park began with development of the City Hall and Fondulac District Library complex on Washington Street.
“When the city council developed [the space], they left this 1½-acre spot open — for what they really hadn’t decided — but hopefully some type of green space. So, we came along and just said, ‘OK, we’ll take it on,’” she said.
Noting the Blutowne mixed-use development on the other side of city hall is expected to bring around 300 residents to the downtown area in a matter of months, Mayor John Kahl said Levee Park stands as another component to growth.
“The whole idea was to have the park be kind of the focal point down here in the Levee District, and complement everything that the city’s done down here for the last 10 years,” said Kahl. “I just think it’s turned out amazing. I think it’s going to be a great space and well utilized, and it’s just an added benefit from our perspective.”
While Wednesday’s ceremony marked completion of the park’s final phase, Portscheller noted a few “last-minute tweaks” still need to be addressed over the next week.
Along with the open green space and splash pad, the park features a performance stage, a multipurpose plaza, public restrooms, sun shades, and even a waystation habitat for monarch butterflies.
“It’s just been something true to the heart that we wanted to see here in the heart of our new downtown,” said Portscheller. “Something exciting, something that is green and growing, family-centered in the iconic heart of East Peoria.”
