The East Peoria Community Foundation (EPCF) is making a big splash this summer in Levee Park. Literally. Construction begins in May on a new splash pad water feature on the northwest side of the 1.5-acre wedge of green space at the heart of the Levee District. It’s been 10 years in the making.

Depending on the weather and the pace of construction, developers hope the sounds of children laughing and splashing in the summer sun will fill the park by August. It will be one of the final touches to the $3 million community-funded project.

“Levee Park is the anchor to East Peoria’s new and thriving downtown,” says EPCF President Susan Portscheller. “It is destined to become the iconic face of East Peoria.”

That is precisely what Jim Mamer, then CEO of Morton Community Bank, envisioned when he established the EPCF in 2014. The nonprofit organization’s goal has not changed over the ensuing years. Its purpose is to be a philanthropic channel for the community that helps transform what was once the gritty center of Caterpillar’s East Peoria factory into a green, growing, family-centered park. When Mamer began talking to local philanthropists and leaders, City Plaza, incorporating City Hall and the Fondulac District Library, was already occupied, and retail development across Washington Street was well underway. The hope was that the park would attract people and add to the vibrant urban environment of the Levee District.

Portscheller joined EPCF as vice president of the board in 2016 after retiring from a long career in marketing for CEFCU. She assumed the role of president after Mamer’s passing that same year and has been at the helm ever since. With the help and support of a nine-person board of directors, she has worked to raise the funds that have allowed Levee Park to become a reality without any public taxpayer funds.

Along with an early $250,000 donation from Ray and Peg Bahnfleth, the foundation has secured a $500,000 Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Capital Development Grant, and a $400,000 matching grant from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. A targeted public appeal for donations has garnered additional major contributions from a who’s who of local leaders. In 2023, Gary Uftring donated a special 70th anniversary Corvette to raffle off on behalf of the park-building fund.

Portscheller says the foundation is now working to raise the last $200,000 needed to cover the finishing touches on the park, including the splash pad, some additional tables and seating, and a refresh of the landscaping to give it more “pop.” She says all of these amenities will make the park even more family-friendly and welcoming for local and out-of-town visitors.

A water feature has been part of the park master plan from the start, although it has changed somewhat as it got closer to becoming a reality.

“Rather than a fountain that you just look at and sit by, we really felt our community would enjoy something more interactive for kids,” she says.

The water feature will have shaded benches and tables for those keeping an eye on their kids, and colorful lighting in the evening. It will be closest to the Richland Street side of the park and have access to the adjacent public restrooms.

“We added restrooms to the park because we knew we would be building the splash pad and didn’t want kids with wet feet running into the library and City Hall,” Portscheller laughs.

Phase 1 of the park’s development, completed in 2015, includes a reading garden adjacent to and accessible from the Fondulac District Library. It features colorful flowers and landscaping, a sculpture honoring the generosity of the Bahnfleths, and plenty of shaded seating to enjoy a book, a quiet lunch, or a moment of relaxation.

Phase 2 wrapped up last summer with the completion of the multi-use stage and amphitheater with space for 500 people to enjoy outdoor concerts and performances of all types. Several organizations, including the library, have already booked it for programs and ceremonies. Events like the annual Easter Seals Walk/Run used the covered stage as home base for the fundraiser. Portscheller expects the venue to be even more popular as it becomes more known. Organizations interested in using the amphitheater should contact Lisa Pickrell with the City of East Peoria at 309-427-7632 or [email protected].

Besides topping off its fundraising goal, Portscheller says the future of the EPCF is undecided. She and the foundation board members are discussing what’s next with the City of East Peoria. The foundation has only one part-time employee — all board members volunteer their time and meet monthly to measure progress and plan next steps. She says the City will manage Levee Park and has budgeted funds for long-term maintenance once it is all in place.

“Our goal was Levee Park,” she says, and that goal is nearly achieved. “We need to make it so families want to come to East Peoria, raise their kids here, go to school, and hopefully, grow up and come back to live here.” She believes the park is a huge step in that direction.

The Blutowne development on the opposite side of City Plaza is also nearing completion, with more than 200 apartments and 10,000 sq. ft. of additional retail space. For residents of the high-end rentals, Levee Park will be a welcome slice of green space amid the bustling urban environment. 

“It’s not often that you have the opportunity to shape the future,” Portscheller says of her work with the foundation. “East Peoria is being reborn, and we are proud to say that the park is at the center of it all.”

In addition to Portscheller, the EPCF Board of Directors includes Cindy Reinhart, retired from Morton Community Bank; Dennis Triggs, retired from Miller, Hall & Triggs LLC; Genna Buhr, director of the Fondulac District Library; Robert Dittmer, retired from Morton Community Bank; East Peoria Mayor John Kahl; Matthew Mamer, CEO at CEFCU; Diane Cullinan Oberhelman, Cullinan Properties, Ltd.; Gary Uftring, Uftring Auto Group; and Ty Livingston, City of East Peoria liaison.

Major donors to Levee Park include Gary and Kay Uftring and the Uftring Auto Group; CEFCU; Fondulac Bank, a division of Morton Community Bank; Cullinan Properties, Ltd.; Fondulac District Library; the family of former mayor Jim Spinder; and the Mamer Family.

Donations of any amount are being accepted toward final Levee Park improvements at www.eastpeoriacommunityfoundation.org, or by calling 309-670-2817. Send email inquiries to [email protected].