The Power of Play Campaign is pleased to announce the groundbreaking for the next phase of its campaign to make Glen Oak Park a daylong destination for families in central Illinois. Please join us on Thursday, May 23, 2013, at 10:00 a.m. under the oak trees in Glen Oak Park as we officially break ground for the new Peoria Rotary Adventure Grove.
Peoria Rotary Adventure Grove is the culmination of support for the Power of Play Campaign received from The Rotary Club of Peoria-Downtown and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources grant made to Peoria Zoo. Experience the ecosystem among the great oak trees in Glen Oak Park! A living extension of Peoria Zoo and the planned Peoria PlayHouse Children’s Museum, Peoria Rotary Adventure Grove will provide hands-on, interactive opportunities for children to experience habitats and environments of local animals.
Winding paths made of permeable concrete connect interpretive nodes of recycled glass pavement that house adaptable inter-actives that will invite children and families to become birds, turtles, spiders and other living animals! A literacy component is included as well, with a display at each node that allows for storybooks or other education opportunities to be shared with participants.
At the end of the winding path, a circular council ring will be host to presentations or small gatherings that can reinforce the conservation messages found throughout Peoria Rotary Adventure Grove or simply provide a place to sit and enjoy the natural beauty of the park before or after their high energy visit to Peoria Zoo!
The Rotary Club of Peoria-Downtown has pledged $100,000 to the effort to commemorate 100 years of service to the Peoria area and collected donations from their members in support of this project. Members of the club will be present to help celebrate the groundbreaking. With the goal of bringing the Power of Play to life at the Peoria PlayHouse and Peoria Zoo, our joint effort will also power an improved:
– Quality of life—helping attract and retain young professionals and businesses
– Local economy—creating jobs and generating tourism dollars
– Surrounding neighborhoods—enriching Glen Oak Park and creating a community anchor in a historic area
– Studies show children who engage in experimental play have better social skills, improved literacy, reduced stress and increased success in life
To date, the affiliates have raised more than $4.5 million in less than two years in support of the Power of Play. They are currently at 80 percent of their total goal for construction of the Peoria PlayHouse Children’s Museum.
Why is play so important? Research proves that play is a powerful factor in helping kids learn and grow effectively, and our community needs more play-friendly environments.
– 85% of brain development occurs by age 3, and kids learn more between ages 4-5 than ages 6-18 combined.
– More than half of local kids have never traveled more than three miles from home, which means their experiences and behavior are most likely limited to their surroundings.
– Studies show communities our size need a certain amount of children’s museum space, but Peoria doesn’t have nearly enough!
To learn more, please visit www.powerofplaypeoria.org. Information may also be found on facebook (Power of Play Peoria), twitter (#powerofplaypeoria), and youtube.
About the affiliation: With support from the Peoria Park District, the Junior League of Peoria and Peoria Zoological Society have joined forces to create a daylong destination for learning through play at Glen Oak Park—building the Peoria PlayHouse Children’s Museum and expanding Peoria Zoo. As nonprofit organizations, we’re both backed by engaged groups of volunteers and have a long history of working with each other and the Peoria Park District on quality projects, including:
• Glen Oak Zoo Animal Project
• Riverfront Awareness
• Tri-Centennial Playground at Glen Oak Park
• Rolling River Playground at RiverPlex
About the Junior League of Peoria: Established in 1936, the Junior League has more than 400 dedicated, creative women volunteers who come from varying backgrounds but share a common goal of bringing people together to improve quality of life in our region.
About Peoria Zoological Society: Dedicated to realizing the vision for the “new” Zoo, Peoria. Zoological Society supports capital development and growth of Peoria Zoo.