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MAHOMET, Ill. (WCIA) – The Village of Mahomet is set to unveil a number of new features at Barber Park on Friday with a grand opening celebration.
Those new features include the Bill & Lisa Peithmann Splash Pad, Mahomet Lions Club Inclusive Playground and the Fisher National Bank Amphitheater at Barber Park.
“Barber Park is the heart of our parks system, and we are excited to add destination-worthy amenities to this beautiful community asset,” said Dan Waldinger, Mahomet Parks and Recreation Director. These enhancements will support our residents in being even more active and connected to one another and will make Mahomet a better place to live and play.
Village officials said the celebration will begin at 6 p.m. with a formal ribbon cutting and continue with balloon twisting, food trucks, ice cream and live music by local band Nickel and Dimes.
Recreation Manager Denise Heiser said Friday’s celebration will mark the first event of Neighborhood Nights, a 4-week series for Fridays in June. She said Neighborhood Nights will feature a new band, bounce house, and food trucks at four parks throughout Mahomet: Barber Park on June 2, Brent Johnson Park on June 9, Freedom Plaza in downtown Mahomet on June 16 and Bridle Leash Park on June 23.
The inclusive playground, splash pad, and amphitheater improvements at Barber Park are all the first of their kind for Mahomet, village officials said. They said kids of all ages will enjoy the variety of play components and the amphitheater will provide new ways to engage and entertain people of all ages.
“To say that we are excited to bring our first splash pad and fully inclusive playground to Mahomet would be an understatement,” said Village President Sean Widener. “I can’t wait to see our residents enjoying the new amenities and certainly look forward to future phases of Barber Park improvements.”
The improvements were made possible by a $400,000 grant from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, as well as approximately $300,000 in local sponsorships, naming rights and community donations, village officials reported. They said the remaining balance of approximately $300,000 was allocated by the Village of Mahomet Capital Improvement funds.
