Let’s Take A Look A Rockford’s New $600K Playground And Park

The newly renovated Keye-Mallquist Park looks absolutely amazing and there are a lot of people to thank for it.

The Park District just unveiled the new and improved Keye-Mallquist Park this week after it underwent $683,000 in renovations. This is the culmination of a 2-year project that began with the Park District asking the community what improvements they would like to see in the park district and then getting direct feedback on what those improvements should be.

A major portion of the funding for the project came from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources Open Lands Acquisition and Development grant. That grant totaled $275,000 and was matched by the park district's capital funds. An additional $100,000K was donated by The Blazer Foundation, a local foundation committed to improving the lives of individuals with disabilities. And $33K was raised by the surrounding neighborhood.

What's New?

In short. Everything. Here's a list of what was installed:

• New playground for ages 2-12 with new universal playground surfacing
• New outdoor fitness area for ages 13 and up
• New multi-use sports field
• New multi-use game court for hopscotch and foursquare
• New permanent cornhole board (!)
• New picnic area
• New fencing along 11th Street and 17th Avenue
• New accessible pathway connections
• Renovated shelter with remodeled bathrooms and storage along with new drinking fountains including one for dogs
• Renovated existing restrooms and storage building for summer program
• Renovated multi-use open sprots field and added new goal posts
• Renovated existing basketball courts - full court and two half courts
• Renovated ball field with new backstop fence

The southeast park looks absolutely fabulous and needs to be seen in person. Here are some pictures to whet your appetite but you need to make it a destination for you and your family ASAP.

When's the last time you played four-square? 30 years ago? More? I was a MONSTER on the four-square court in elementary school. Might have to dust of the ol' rubber ball and see if I still have it.

Thanks as always to Laura Gibbs-Green from the Park District for joining us every Friday morning at 7:20.