Great Parks Build Great Communities
Meadowbrook Park Playground Giving Project
The Urbana Park District and Urbana Parks Foundation are raising funds to build the most ambitious and inclusive playground in UPD history.
The Urbana Parks Foundation
Nature when you need it
Wet shoes, dirty jeans and a memory of pond dipping with his classmates in Busey Woods. A student learned a few of the benefits of exploring the natural world on a school tour offered by the Anita Purves Nature Center. Today as a volunteer, he’s leading those tours.
A grass-stained jersey, first goal scored and ear-to-ear smile were the results for one young girl after a Saturday soccer game led by her volunteer coach. A few years later, teamwork and giving her best have become routine and part of her work ethic as a high school soccer player.
The Urbana Park District offers indoor and outdoor recreation for all ages. The opportunities it provides lead to lifelong healthy habits, hobbies, interests and friendships, letting everyone experience something fun, new, rewarding, memorable, meaningful. You probably have your own memories from a park, perhaps a deer seen in Meadowbrook or vibrant wildflowers in Busey Woods.
Have you ever wondered what it has taken for the wonderful Urbana park system to become what it is today?
Supporting Urbana’s Park Systems
Nature, people, and community health
Tax dollars are the bedrock of support on which the Park District is built, but Urbana’s parks are the important community asset they are because of significant support received from other sources. That’s where the Urbana Parks Foundation (UPF) comes in. It was established to help meet the growing need for supplemental support by raising funds for district activities.
The UPF seeks donations from people and organizations who appreciate the value of parks or programs not just for their immediate esthetic or environmental value, but for the impact they have on future generations.
Urbana Parks are a Resource for Everyone.
Latest News
New Trustee Spotlight: Joe DeLuce
Lifetime of experience with parks & recreation If you are familiar with the park scene in Champaign-Urbana, you probably know the name Joe DeLuce. Joe spent 25 years working with the Champaign Park District, starting as director of recreation and stepping into the...
New Trustee Spotlight: Nancy Delcomyn
An lifelong outdoor enthusiast Before joining the Urbana Parks Foundation board of trustees, Nancy Delcomyn was no stranger to the Urbana park scene. Nancy served on the Urbana Park District (UPD) board for 30 years, and in her words, she "just couldn't get enough of...
A Look Back at 2023
Another year has flown by, and once again there was much to celebrate when it comes to Urbana parks. We are thrilled to see the progress on major projects we have raised funds for over the past few years and so excited about these new facilities coming to fruition in...
Health and Wellness Center Groundbreaking
On May 6, the Urbana Park District officially broke ground for the new Health and Wellness Facility. Located on East Washington Street, between the Brookens Center and Preston Williams Elementary, the new facility will provide a welcoming and motivating environment,...
A Look Back at 2022
As another year draws to a close, we would like to take a look back at the past twelve months. In 2022, we had much to celebrate—from the return of our Barn Bash event to the completion of the Blair Park resurfacing project to the 25th anniversary of the Wandell...
Meet Chris Scherer: New Urbana Parks Foundation Trustee
In this month’s blog we learn all about our newest Trustee and what he loves about Urbana parks!
Leave your mark on the new PrairiePlay this Giving Tuesday!
GivingTuesday was created in 2012 as a simple idea: a day that encourages people to do good. Over the past 11 years, this idea has grown into a year-round global movement that inspires hundreds of millions of people to give, collaborate, and celebrate generosity. This...
2022 Annual Report
Learn more about our 2022 accomplishments, major project updates, and new project announcements for the coming year.Click to download a copy of the 2022 Annual Report