Here it is! The smallest park in Champaign-Urbana, Stampofski Park is so small you wouldn't even know it was a park unless you were writing a series about parks and saw it and said "Holy shit, that's a park?" Yep. It is a park.
Prairie Park in east Urbana is mostly forgettable, but serves its purpose, and plays host to a decent baseball diamond that features actual dirt in the batter's box and on the pitching mound. That's worth something, anyhow.
There's no denying the impact of Meadowbrook Park in Urbana. Indeed, it is the result of half a century of work and planning, and it shows.
This park is a lovely little spot in west Champaign, and yes there are a lot of geese here, because there's a big pond here. Do geese bother you? Get over it.
Since 1909, Clark Park has been serving its neighbors well, and is hands down one of the finest parks in all the city. Here is a love letter to it, along with a video featuring drone shots of its small, but magnificent presence.
The history of Spalding Park is vast, but let's focus on the future — the near future — since big changes are coming. They are, indeed, long overdue.
The City of Champaign and the Champaign Park District went to great lengths to reimagine this neighborhood, and the park that surrounds it is a fantastic addition to our community.
This classic Urbana park, tucked behind Thomas Paine Elementary school, has more than meets the eye.
The crown jewel of parks in the north side of Champaign, Douglass Park has improved vastly over the years, and continues to be a meeting place for many members of C-U's Black communities as we slowly inch towards more equity and resolution.
The McCollum family changed Champaign and changed the nation. We honored them with a strip of grass next to a major railroad that no well person would ever go hang around. Plus: mythbusters, Traffic Tickets and Drug Charges Edition!
This 7.7 acre park is tucked into a neighborhood in west Champaign just off I-57 and I-72. It is simple and basic, but is nicely located for a lot of families living around it.
Behold! One of the best parks in Champaign and Urbana sits in the very heart of the city, and there's a lot to love, and a lot of opportunity for reimagining one of our oldest park spaces.
Champaign-Urbana has one of the most diverse, intelligent, and interesting communities in the state. Our Culture section highlights those people, places, and events that make us proud to live here.
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