King Park Planning

Background

King Park was initially established in 1967 and has been expanded in acreage through a series of adjacent land acquisitions. Since then, King Park has undergone two master plans and is currently in the process of developing a third.

The current playground is over 20 years old and due for replacement. The Urbana Park District recognizes this as a great opportunity to apply for an Open Space Land Acquisition and Development (OSLAD) grant. Similar to Blair Park, we want to revitalize King Park and its amenities to enhance recreational opportunities, improve accessibility, and introduce new community-focused features.

Playground Master Planning

The Urbana Park District is currently working with Farnsworth Group, a firm dedicated to improving designs of environments where people live and play. We estimate this master planning process to take place between March and August 2025. Our end goal is for the Urbana Park District’s Board of Commissioners to approve a master plan for King Park that promotes accessibility, inclusivity, and diverse recreational opportunities for the entire community.

Community Input and Planning

As of March 10th, 2025, the Urbana Park District has put together a Steering Committee for King Park which includes neighbors, parents and stakeholders like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School, the City of Urbana, Urbana Rotary, Experience CU, Habitat for Humanity, and Jettie Rhodes Day committee members. This committee will assist by reviewing site history, assessing current site conditions, reviewing public input received to date, and assisting with reviewing plan updates. Please see planning documents below for more information.

Planning Documents