Weaver Park occupies 60 acres of native prairie, oak woodland, and a pristine wetland that attracts some of the most diverse and rare wildlife in the area. Immediately adjacent is 20-acre Prairie Park, home to soccer fields, baseball fields, and the Urbana Health and Wellness Center.
The Urbana Park District turned to Farnsworth Group to prepare a detailed master plan for Weaver and Prairie Parks focusing on two components: providing additional sport and recreation facilities and simultaneously preserving Weaver Park’s sensitive ecosystems.
Farnsworth Group facilitated a multifaceted public outreach strategy that included focus groups, online surveys, engagement with school children and environmental groups, and outreach efforts to marginalized communities throughout the city.
The result is a plan that is a win for all. It preserves 46.9 acres of Weaver Park as undisturbed habitat, while providing four new soccer fields and parking in an existing mown lawn portion of the park. Native plantings and landscape-based stormwater features will capture runoff from athletic fields and paved areas, protecting wetlands and enhancing water quality. Improvements to Prairie Park will include two new soccer fields, eight pickleball courts, three sand volleyball courts, two basketball courts, and a youth fun zone with a splash pad, playground, and skate park.
Implementation projects to date include a trailhead facility connecting to the Kickapoo Rail Trail. Design also has begun for the six soccer fields, expanded parking, and stormwater management improvements.
