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Edwardsville - Glen Carbon, IL
Parks & Recreation As Edwardsville and Glen Carbon continue to grow, so does the vast network of recreational possibilities for local residents. Instead of separating the local population from green spaces, recreation facilities and fitness venues, the local communities have responded by increasing the number of choices. Year round, activities include biking, hiking and bird watching on over 75 miles of converted rail trails. Plenty of parks and golf courses adorn the area, providing enclaves of scenic beauty and escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
Edwardsville Township Park
6368 Center Grove Road, Edwardsville
Edwardsville Township Park has always been a favorite spot for picnics and reunions. Two pavilions may be reserved for large groups, and six smaller pavilions throughout the park are available on a first-come, first-served basis. A spectacular fenced playground area and a skate park provides added fun for kids of all ages.
Edwardsville Parks
The city of Edwardsville’s Parks and Recreation Department manages 14 parks and one nature center. Following is an overview of just a few Edwardsville parks.
City Park101 South Buchanan Street, Edwardsville
Located on just under 3 acres of public property in the symbolic center of town, City Park is the home of several important landmarks, including the Edwardsville Public Library; the Cleon Etzkorn bandstand, where municipal band concerts are conducted during the summer; and the Madison County Centennial Monument and the beautiful new park fountain, donated by Mr. and Mrs. Richard Bearden. City Park is the home of many community events and festivals.
Leclaire Lake Park
900 Hale Avenue, Edwardsville
Located on almost 6 acres within the historic Leclaire neighborhood, this park is a premier Edwardsville family picnic and playground area. It features a bandstand gazebo, large picnic pavilion, two small picnic shelters, a handicapped-accessible restroom and three playground areas. The centerpiece of Leclaire Park is a 2-acre fishing lake, complete with a lighted fountain and a waterfall along with a resident population of geese and ducks. Leclaire Lake is a popular ice skating facility in the winter.
Leclaire Field
701 Hale Avenue Edwardsville
Sitting on 3.3 acres on the border of historic Leclaire, this completely renovated park is the heart of Little League Baseball in the community. Aside from a brand-new, state-of-the-art baseball diamond, developed in conjunction with the Little League Association, the Leclaire Field site is also home to the local Children’s Museum, which is housed in the century-old Leclaire Academy Building.
Hoppe Park
Tower Avenue, Edwardsville
Hoppe Park, with 20 acres, is one of Edwardsville’s largest, complete with two lighted baseball diamonds, playground equipment, picnic areas, restrooms and a concession stand. It is the home of the Edwardsville Little League baseball
program and the city’s youth and adult softball programs.
Joe Glik Park
East Lake Drive, Edwardsville
Joe Glik Park covers 42 acres and is the city’s most recently acquired park property. This park is located east of Dunlap Lake and contains two lakes, paved walking trails, a picnic pavilion and shelters, a playground, volleyball courts, a memorial planting area, an open play area, fishing, and a plaza with a central spray fountain.
Winston Brown Recreation Complex
Tower Avenue, Edwardsville
Winston Brown Recreation Complex has 10.4 acres and was previously known as Lower Hoppe Park. The site includes two lighted softball fields, a playground, a concession/restroom building, a picnic pavilion and two lighted, full basket-ball courts.
Watershed Nature Center
1591 Tower Avenue, Edwardsville
A not-to-be-missed destination is the Watershed Nature Center, which offers the chance to experience and learn about our native habitat. The Nature Center embodies the significance of conservation management. Once a sewage lagoon, this 40-acre outdoor learning center has transformed a previously scarred landscape back into its more natural state. With over 3,000 feet of paved trails, 800 feet of concrete walks elevated over wetlands, two observation towers, one observation blind, two lakes, prairies, an upland forest, and a 1,500-square-foot Interpretive Welcome Center, the Watershed Nature Center is a tribute to the beauty of nature and the dedication of local volunteers.
Glen Carbon Parks
Residents of Glen Carbon have a variety of options when finding places to spend time with their family and friends, enjoy group gatherings, or watch a sporting event. Three parks in the Village offer relaxing locations to enjoy just about any activity. Groups wanting to hold special functions and reserve areas in any of the parks need to obtain permission from Village Hall.
Miner Park
194 S. Main Street, Glen Carbon
Miner Park is located in Old Town section of Glen Carbon and is the Village’s true family picnic area. Spread out over
17 acres, the park provides users with a variety of recreational activities for all ages. Whether you’re hosting a picnic with lots of people around or you just want some quiet solitude, Miner Park amenities include barbecue grills, playground equipment, sheltered pavilions, a bandstand, baseball fields and basketball courts.
Citizen Park
South Main, Glen Carbon
Also located in Old Town behind Fire Station #1, Citizen Park serves as the starting point for the Ronald J. Foster Heritage Bike Trail. However, its primary function is as a sports facility. Park features include a lighted baseball field, a concession stand and bleacher seating.
Village Hall Park
151 North Main Street, Glen Carbon
This 5-acre park is Glen Carbon’s primary sports and recreation complex. Park features include Little Folks Playground, two lighted tennis courts, a lighted baseball field, a basketball court, concession stands and sheltered pavilions.
Bike Trails
If you enjoy biking, be sure to check out our bike trails. They provide a great way to explore the area from a different perspective. In recent years, the Edwardsville and Glen Carbon area has experienced a profound surge in the number, quality and mileage of bike trails slicing through
neighborhoods and rambling through parks and green spaces. As bicycles have become an increasingly progressive approach to mitigating traffic problems and raising fitness, community leaders in these tandem towns have been quick to capitalize on the potential benefits. As a result of their investments, Madison County can already boast of nearly 100 miles of bike trails, with approximately 75 of those miles in Edwardsville and Glen Carbon.
SIUE has been instrumental in facilitating bike trail initiatives, and a number of the trails channel bike and foot traffic from various Edwardsville and Glen Carbon locales to the university’s campus. Furthermore, some of the trails, such as the Bluff Road Extension, the Confluence Bikeway and the Schoolhouse Trail, are actually being maintained and developed by Madison County Transit. Other trails, such as the Vadalabene Trail and the Ronald J. Foster Trail, are
managed by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and the Village of Glen Carbon, respectively.
Fitness
The residents of Edwardsville and Glen Carbon seem to have caught the fitness bug. Whether residents are commuting to work on their bikes or hitting the gym after work, physical fitness is a fashionable trend that local leaders hope to sustain by developing quality facilities. While SIUE offers students and local residents access to a comprehensive recreation center and several private health clubs and gyms operate in the area, the phenomenon of physical fitness in the area can best be seen in the development of an impressive new YMCA facility.
This $9 million project will expand the existing YMCA facility into a 116,000-square-foot family recreational center near Liberty Middle School. The scope of this project will make the new YMCA one of the largest of its kind in the Midwest. This additional YMCA facility will contain a gymnastics center, a multipurpose skate center, a multipurpose recreation center, a fitness and wellness center, an indoor elevated walking/jogging track, a climbing wall, a summer day camp facility, a youth and teen area, an indoor tennis center, and locker room facilities.
