People visiting the Phillips Recreation Center playground in the summer of 2019 will see a brand new structure.

Urbana Park District is renovating the playground at a cost of $75,000.

"We have a playground replacement schedule so we can plan and budget to replace old and worn-down playground equipment," said Andy Rousseau, Project Manager. "When we replace equipment and play structures we research leading trends in playgrounds, seek input and see what best suits the Phillips Recreation Center site," he added.

This summer, kids attending Urbana Park District camps created a collage of different things they’d like to see at the playground. They also consulted with students at a nearby school who uses the playground frequently.

"We used the kids' input," Rousseau said.

The Park District has fenced off the old playground and it is closed during renovations. Park District workers will remove the old equipment and install the new equipment during the winter and spring.

"We hope to open the new park this June," Rousseau commented.

"We are excited to renovate the playground so more kids of all ages and abilities can have fun," Rousseau said. He concluded, "We look forward to sharing our progress with the public and we can’t wait to open the playground back up to the public later this year."