Williamsfield Veterans Park Pavilion

UPDATE 4/15/23: We are so thankful to have received several checks from community members for the new pavilion in Veteran's Park. As we all know, every dollar counts!

We are also very pleased that we received a generous grant from Compeer Financial.

So, we have been able to reduce the amount of our goal by the amount of donations received and the grant money. Again, THANKS for donating - we are

moving toward the goal!!

RENOVATION OF WILLIAMSFIELD'S VETERANS MEMORIAL PARK

Williamsfield's beloved and historical Veterans Memorial Park, located downtown, is getting a new lease on life as a result of ongoing updates! We, at the Williamsfield Park Association, want you to be a part of it! Let's come together in our community's continued effort to enhance what our town has to offer its residents. Please join us by financially supporting this project!

HISTORY of Veterans Memorial Park:

The Home Culture Club developed the park in 1923. An excerpt from the 1939 Williamsfield Times states, “It was entirely through the efforts of the club that the Park site was secured in 1923. That fall the ground was leveled and shrubbery planted. Later, a fine concrete bandstand was erected making our City Park one of which any town might be justly proud.” In the days before television, residents remember having Saturday night movies in the park with nickel popcorn, popped by Ralph Norman, the Memorial Day tribute to those serving in the military, or having the Williamsfield Funfest in the Park. Probably most Williamsfield kids remember jumping off the bandstand!

The FUTURE of Veterans Memorial Park:

The goal of the Williamsfield Park Association is to rejuvenate the Veteran's Park, preserve its vibrant history and enhance the life of our residents by serving our community as a place of remembrance and a multi-purpose venue for events. A place where we can all come together to honor and celebrate life for decades to come. Most importantly, the renovations ensure that the Veteran's Park will continue to serve as a memorial place respectfully honoring our Veterans with the park's historical monuments and proudly displaying American flags. In addition, the park will continue to pay homage to Williamsfield's history, in particular its railroad roots, by housing a purposeful Burlington Northern CABOOSE and by building a train depot-themed PAVILION. Currently, the beautifully renovated caboose serves as a historical artifact, as well as, a meeting/event venue available to be visited/reserved upon request. Furthermore, the new train depot-themed pavilion, when built, will offer an aesthetically pleasing venue as a gathering place for future community events. Moreover, it is our vision that the fully renovated Veterans Park will boast new sidewalks and benches, eye-catching landscaping, and updated electricity and lighting features. We believe that when the renovations are complete, our updated Veteran's Park will again be the place where our community comes together to remember and celebrate life's events.

OUR IMMEDIATE NEED:

We ask for your gracious FINANCIAL SUPPORT for the CONSTRUCTION of the train depot-themed PAVILION, which we would love to try to get built this summer. We have received generous donations from several residents and businesses, however, we are still in need of $30,000. The proposed pavilion design is 32ft long and x16ft wide, has open sides, with decorative overhanging eaves & corbels, and will mimic the original Santa Fe depot which sat just south of the park for 80+ years. Check out the designs. 

We appreciate your support of this important project that honors the past and celebrates the future! We are asking you to please consider making a tax-deductible financial donation please send it to: Williamsfield Parks Assoc, PO Box 21, Williamsfield IL 61489. No matter how small, every donation counts!

We anticipate mounting a sign on the structure for all our contributors to the project. 

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!