DANVILLE — Juan Robinson, vice president of the Danville Seahawks football and cheer program, summed it up best during Monday’s grand opening of the renovated Garfield Park.
“People deserve nice things and this is a very nice thing to be added to the community,’’ said Robinson, a former standout athlete in Danville with now 16 years of coaching experience.
Robinson is not only very appreciative of the changes, but he thanked Mayor Rickey Williams Jr. and city for working with the Seahawks organization, who originally started at Garfield as the Danville Ravens but have spent the past two seasons at Ellsworth Park, while renovations were being completed at Garfield.
“They wanted our opinions and let us have input in what we wanted,’’ he said. “They kept asking us, how can make it better for your program.’’
Part of the renovations included a new football field with goalposts, a scoreboard and small sets of bleachers for games.
But, that’s only a part of the changes.
There is also brand-new playground equipment for children 2-and-older, their a permanent corn hole game, a covered shelter with picnic tables and the whole complex have sidewalks designed to ADA Standards to provide walking loops for physical exercise.
“That’s the thing that I love about this park, it’s not just about the kids,’’ Williams said. “We also have this walking path and soon there will be markers to show how far individuals have walked.’’
Williams noted that parents and grandparents can bring the children, let them play on the playground equipment while they get the steps in for that day.
“The way this is laid out, you will be able to see the kids from anywhere along the path in the park,’’ he said.
It’s also worth noting, the renovations required the city to tear down three houses on Fairchild Street.
“People would ask me, ‘why did you want to get rid of the houses?’” Williams said. “Now our police officers can drive by and just look through the park and see if anything is going on.
“It makes things safer.’’
Thomas Hightower, an alderman in Ward 3, lives about 100 yards from the park.
“It’s a major improvement and a wonderful thing for Ward 3,’’ he said. “I walked by at 7 this morning and there were citizens out here just enjoying the park.
“It’s been many years that we haven’t things like this to look forward to.’’
The completion of the park now creates a seamless transition from the new aquatic center, to new, repaved basketball courts, to the playground equipment to the football field and the Danville Boys & Girls Club.
“I’m so proud that we have brought it all together and made it one big park,’’ Williams said. “It gives everyone a sense of pride.’’
Williams pointed out the playground equipment is very rare.
“This is just the second installation of this type of equipment in the country, the only other one is in Dallas, Texas,’’ he said. “Very proud to have state of the art equipment for our kids.’’
Additionally, and just as important to Williams, was the improved stormwater management at the park.
“When I was at Boys & Girls Club, anytime it rained, we used to call this Lake Garfield,’’ he said. “If it rained the kids couldn’t use the playground equipment for a week.
“We have been able to make the park useable and accessible whenever it’s warm enough.’’
The upgrades to the park were funded through a $600,000 State of Illinois Open Space Land Acquisition and Development (OSLAD) Grant.