Address
1105 E. McHenry St.
Urbana
IL
United States
By Tina Whobrey
I need to start this article by saying that I may endure a little heat for writing it.
You see, I just moved to this neighborhood a few months ago. We are very close to Meadowbrook Park … which is awesome, to say the least! On the weekends, however, it isn’t our top choice. People from all around our community come to Meadowbrook Park for a weekend day-trip, and who can blame them? I used to do the same. As a “park-local,” though, that just makes for a busy, loud, crowded park for a quick jaunt out of the house. So my friends, old and new, in the neighborhood told me about the “secret park.”
It really is a secret park, too. It isn’t visible from many streets, and the street you can see while playing is a good distance away. I once drove past the sign and assumed it was just one of those little, roadside, park district, flower parks. Wow, was I wrong! I also made plans to meet someone there and drove in circles for five minutes before finding it.
This park is pretty exciting from the get-go. The colors and shapes they chose are warm and inviting; the activities are engaging and challenging, but not too overwhelming. There are places for kids of all ages to play. You’ll find the old favorites like swings and long slides, along with new areas for climbing. There are also some interesting twists like a tire swing and something that can only be described as a new-age merry-go-round.
The playground isn’t all Larson Park has to offer. There are tennis courts, a water fountain, and a small sidewalk that wraps around for easy access to parts of the park, jogging, or dog walking. There is also an abundance of lovely open grassy space for running, frisbee, tag, and picnics. This would be a lovely place for a small social gathering, as well. The trees provide plenty of shady spots and there are a few picnic tables. Overall, this small park provides big entertainment.
Please remember, though, if anyone asks how you learned about this amazing, secret park … a little birdie told you. And maybe just visit during the weekdays so us “locals” can find respite from busier parks on the weekends. And perhaps you shouldn’t spread the word to others. … On second thought … this park is too good to share … I’m not going to be able to pass along the secret password to you. Good luck getting in.
Tina Whobrey moved to Chambana in 2000. Since then she has attended Parkland, Illinois State and finally the U of I, where she earned her master’s in education and will begin her Ph.D. this fall. She taught middle school social studies for five years, married her favorite person in the world and moved out of state. They decided C-U was “home” and moved back to have their son, who is now a bright, curious 2-year-old.