Central Park in Streator ready for toddlers to ride

Editor’s Note: This story was corrected at 2:20 p.m. Thursday to include more information about the donations of items.

Young children now have a bicycle course designed for them at Central Park in Streator.

The winding paved course painted to resemble a roadway allows young bicyclists to read road signs and learn sidewalk safety, all while using their imagination to go to different places, such as a drive-thru business erected as a small stand.

Earlier this summer, Live Well Streator installed the make-belief signs and structures for the children at the park across from the former Sherman School.

The park has been rebranded to be geared toward young children.

A playground for children ages 2 to 4 not far from the bicycle path was erected by Streator Public Works staff. Inclusive swings and a two-seat swing for mother and child also were put up at the park.

“The mother and child swings are very popular,” said Public Works Director Larry Hake at Wednesday’s Streator Park Board meeting.

Five memorial park benches are the next item on the list to be installed, Hake said. Storms this week have delayed their installation, but once the weather settles down, he expects them to be put into the park.

The City of Streator purchased all of the equipment.

Live Well Streator reimbursed the city for the playset, fruit stand, drive-thru, gas station, and signs (stop, yield and speed limit) with funds from the Move Your Way grant received in 2020 from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.

Three swings and memorial benches were funded by Streator Rotary Club , Streator Kiwanis Club, Illinois American Water and Live Well Streator.

The City also purchased two outdoor bi-level drinking fountains with funds from the 2021 Environmental Grant that Live Well Streator received from Illinois American Water and from funding from the Dieken Family Foundation. One will be installed at Central Park and the other will be installed at the City Park near Paul’s Pad (splash pad).

Live Well Streator is planning a grand opening event for Central Park and for the new fountain in City Park sometime this fall when all items have been completed.

What’s Live Well Streator?

Live Well Streator is a community collaborative created, with the help of OSF HealthCare, to develop solutions that create new possibilities for healthier lives. The Live Well Streator steering committee is comprised of 12 individuals from diverse backgrounds and Ellen Vogel, with OSF HealthCare, who serves as the program facilitator. Together, group members, and over 40 action team members, are focusing on building awareness about community resources and creating new partnerships that support the following priorities: healthy eating, physical activity, and living a drug free lifestyle.