Glen Oak Park's Identity Crisis

A Park, a School or a Zoo?

Which century and which day of the century just might be the questions to ask.

19th Century

• Glen Oak Park was dedicated on September 7, 1896, as the People's Park.
• Dedicated for the people of the City of Peoria and the people of Peoria County.
• A lovely and beautiful park designed by Oscar DeBuis (he also designed Lincoln Park and West Park in Chicago) and included many amenities.
• Glen Oak Park was designed as a classical, European late-Victorian Park.

20th Century

Fast forward about three score years and what do we find ..... the beginning of the end of the People's Park.

Glen Oak Park has experienced serious demantling and neglect, with the process starting around 1959, continuing to the present, one amenity after another fell into disrepair by neglect, lack of funding and/or as residents feel by design ---- no one seems to know the territory, the history or what a neighborhood, city and county park should actually contain.

Gone ----

The Sunken Gardens, the Palm House, the Rose Arbor & Gardens, the Old Settler's Cabin, the Lincoln Cabin, the Fountains, the Train, the Wading Pool, . . . .

and most recently the Parapet (definition: an earthen or stone embankment protecting soldiers from enemy fire) soon to be dismantled and the Cannon removed because the Peoria Park District lacks funding to renovate this park feature which has been enjoyed by thousands of children during the last hundred years.

Sadly, Glen Oak Park is not able to protect itself!

21st Century
March 29, 2006 - Plans announced by the Peoria Park District (to share approximately 5 acres) and District 150 Schools (to acquire approximately 5 acres) to build a new school at the corner of Prospect and Frye and acquiring approximately 21 well maintained parcels with many owner occupied properties in the group.

May 1, 2006 - District 150 is compelled by Senator Shadid to hold a public forum. PJ Star reports 250 people attend, 30 people speak (more than a 10% sampling) and not one, no not one person speaks in support of this project. You read that correctly, 30 people spoke in opposition to the project at the proposed site, with support for a new school at the current site.

May 10, 2006 - Glen Oak Parent's Forum --- several parents attended as well as many concerned neighbors and community members, you guessed it ---- support for a new school to be built at the current Glen Oak site.

May 16, 2006 --- PJ Star --- Legal Notice - Section 182

The Peoria Park District is applying for a SPECIAL USE permit to expand the zoo into Glen Oak Park, four parcel ids are indicated with Parcel 14-34-332-015 being of great interest..... that is the parcel which is adjacent to the parcels that D150 is acquiring to build the joint venture school.

Please note that Parcel 14-34-332-015 extends from along Prospect, on Republic and Frye too and is behind and adjacent to the 21 parcels that D150 is acquiring, that entire section of Glen Oak Park is to be rezoned for the zoo expanion. YIKES!

There would seem to go dear old Glen Oak Park as we know it ---- for a ZOO!

An expansion or a conversion?????????

Where will you have a pincic with your family, walk your dog, play baseball, fly your kite, ....

Hum ---- how can the Peoria Park District use the same land for a joint venture as a school site and at the same time for a zoo expansion?

The City of Peoria Zoning Commission Public Hearing regarding Case No. ZC 06-35B will be held in Room 400 of the City Hall Building beginning at 1:00 pm on Thursday, June 1, 2006.

Should prove to be an interesting public hearing!