Champaign, IL
Bound by Eureka St., 5th St., Grove St., & Wright St.
About Douglass Park:
- Obtained in 1931
- Acres: 15.5
- Additional Year: 1958 – Acres: 1.1
- Sale – Year: 1958 – Acres: 1.1 – Sold to School District for Washington School
- Addition – Year: 1961 – Acres: 2 – Purchase ($6,000)
- Addition – Year: 1970 – Acres: 7 – Purchase ($42,000)
- Former Lawhead School site (currently parking lot) – Year: 1997 – Acres: .6 – 1966 Bond Funds Purchase from City of Champaign
- Donors: Some land purchased ($3,500), strip given by Vern A. Roland, Anna K. Roland & Lela Collins
Douglass Park Features:
- 2 baseball fields
- 2 basketball courts
- Fitness Trail (.74 mi) with outdoor exercise equipment (Ab Crunch/Leg Lift, Assisted Row/Push-Up, Balance Steps, Cardio Stepper, Chest/Back Press, Mobility Station, Plyometrics, Pull-Up/Dip, Squat Press, Stretching Station, Tai Chi Wheels)
- “Frederick Douglass: In Remembrance” sculpture by Preston Jackson
- Grill
- Horseshoe Pit
- Park Path Length: 0.74 miles
- Parking
- Pavilion (available for rent)
- Playground with poured in place safety surface
- Splash pad, open daily 10am – 7:00 pm between Memorial Day and Labor Day (Operate by pressing silver button at the center)
Since the 1930s, the park space has served the African American community of Champaign. Black servicemen visiting Champaign from the Chanute Air Force base in Rantoul, IL experienced segregation and were not allowed to participate in area USO (United States Service Organization) activities. The community center provided a place for social functions for these servicemen including movie nights, dances, ball games, boxing, card game nights, picnics, and much more.
The community continued to invest in the area by building a new community center and obtaining additional space for meetings and programming. In 2015, a $1.1 million upgrade by the Champaign Park District gave the park new features such as a splash pad, new playground, and pavilion space.
