Centennial Park (Champaign, Illinois) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Centennial Park |
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Centennial Park Entrance Sign
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Map of Centennial Park
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| Location | Champaign, Illinois |
| Area | 80 acres (32 ha) |
| Elevation | 725 feet (221 m) |
| Created | 1959 |
| Operated by | Champaign Park District |
| Status | Open all year |
Centennial Park is a large and fun park located in Champaign, Illinois. It's the second biggest park managed by the Champaign Park District. The park was created in 1959.
Today, you'll find Champaign Centennial High School and Jefferson Middle School right inside the park! A smart professor named Karl Lohmann helped design the campus.
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Fun Things to Do at Centennial Park
Centennial Park has lots of cool places to play and be active. You can find eight lighted tennis courts for a game with friends. There's also a lighted baseball field and five other baseball fields.
If you love soccer, there's a soccer field too. You can also shoot hoops on the basketball court. For younger kids, there's a fun playground. When winter comes, Centennial Hill becomes a popular spot for sledding!
Leonhard Recreation Center
The Leonhard Recreation Center is a great place for indoor activities. It was first opened in 1976. In 1984, it was renamed to honor Patricia H. Leonhard, who was a park district commissioner.
The center has a full-size gym where you can play sports. It also has an air-conditioned activity space and locker rooms.
A brand new, modern recreation center is being built! It started construction in 2013. This new building will be super energy-efficient. It will use a special system to heat and cool itself.
The new Leonhard Recreation Center will have awesome features like:
- An indoor playground for all ages
- A walking track to get your steps in
- Basketball courts for games
- Volleyball courts for spiking fun
- Activity rooms for different programs
This new center will also host special classes and fitness programs. Plus, it will continue to be the home for the park district's summer programs for kids.
Sholem Aquatic Center
| Sholem Aquatic Center | |
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Water slides at the park
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| Slogan | "Your Place to Play!" |
| Location | 2005 Sangamon Drive Champaign, IL 61821 |
| Owner | Champaign Park District |
| Previous names | Sholem Pool |
| Status | {{{status}}} |
| Pools | 2 pools |
| Water slides | 3 water slides |
| Children's areas | 2 children's areas |
The Sholem Aquatic Center is a fantastic water park that opened in 2006. It's a popular spot for families in the Champaign-Urbana area. The water park is open every year from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
The Sholem Aquatic Center has many cool water features:
- The Beach: A huge 8,000 square-foot pool with a waterplay area.
- The Puddle: A shallow wading area perfect for small children.
- The Sea: An 8-lane, 25-yard lap pool for swimming laps.
- The Falls: A thrilling 170-foot tube slide.
- The Plunge and Blue Rush: Two exciting 197-foot water slides that are completely dark inside!
- The Rapids: A long 660-foot inner-tube river where you can float along.
- The Oasis: A concession stand where you can grab snacks and drinks.
The aquatic center also offers swimming lessons. They even have special swim hours just for teens and adults. You can also rent the whole complex for private parties after hours!
Prairie Farm
Centennial Park is also home to Prairie Farm. This is a full-size, replica farm that opened in 1966. It's like stepping back in time to see what a farm used to be like!
At Prairie Farm, you can see barns, a farmhouse, a pond, and a flower garden. The farm is open from Memorial Day weekend until mid-August. They often host fun activities and programs for kids during the season.
You can meet traditional farm animals at Prairie Farm! They have sheep, pigs, goats, horses, cows, chickens, and geese. It's free to visit the farm, but donations are always welcome to help keep it running.
