The effort to create a day-long destination in Glen Oak Park is moving closer to completion. Officials with the Power of Play campaign broke ground for the new Peoria Rotary Adventure Grove.
The grove is part of a bigger plan by the Peoria Park District, Zoological Society and Junior League to create the Playhouse Children’s Museum and additional components to the Zoo.
Jim Hancock is the Vice President of the Park District’s Board of Trustees. He says Adventure Grove will be in between the museum and zoo, and include an interactive play area that will allow families to experience the ecosystem.
"It will provide hands-on, interactive opportunities for children to experience habitats and environments of local animals. There will be winding paths made of permeable concrete and interpretive nodes of recycled glass pavement that invites children and families to becomes birds, turtles, spiders, and other living animals."
Hancock says there will also be education displays and a specially-created area for presentations and small gatherings. The Power of Play campaign says 80-percent of the money is raised for the Children’s Museum phase. They need to raise another 600-thousand dollars for construction to begin on the Children's Museum. Construction is expected to be complete on Adventure Grove next year.