Great Parks! Lions Park in Elburn

The latest in the "Great Parks!" series is one especially for all the kids who love sand, and for the parents who love them.

The tire swing at Lions Club Park in Elburn was a hit with my preschooler. Photo by Tara Burghart.Park Name: Lions Park in Elburn. Rather than being part of a local park district, the 25-acre Lions Park is owned and operated by the Elburn Lions Club. Lions Clubs International is the world's largest service organization.

Location: 500 South Filmore St. in Elburn, just one block west of Main Street (Route 47).

Amenities: Lions Park features two baseball diamonds, a number of picnic tables and benches. The playground is very large instead of being surrounded by mulch, there is sand underneath. The playground has extensive equipment for preschoolers and older children, as well as a small toddler playground. There is a set of swings (including two baby swings) and also two tire swings, as well as a very small merry-go-round (don't worry - we couldn't get it to go very fast.) It also features two "backhoes" that kids operate with their hands to scoop up and dump sand. There are indoor bathrooms in the Elburn Lions Club clubhouse, but they were closed when we visited on a recent weekday afternoon. Alternately, there were two portable toilets.

Click to read more ...

Great Parks! Headwaters Conservation Area in Campton Township

Our latest in the "Great Parks!" series is one of the best-kept secrets in the far western 'burbs. It isn't easy to find on a map, but it's definitely worth the effort to get there.

The gazebo at the Headwaters Conservation Area. Photo by Tara Burghart.Park Name: Headwaters Conservation Area in Campton Township, west of Geneva.

Location: According to Campton Township, the address is 43W535 Beith Road, but I couldn’t get that to come up on Google Maps or my car’s GPS system.

So here are directions: From a starting point of Randall Road and State Street (Route 38) in Geneva, head west on Route 38 for about 4 miles. You’ll see a yellow road sign indicating Beith Road is coming up. Take a right on Beith Road and head north on it (up a rolling hill) for about 1 ½ miles. The entrance to Headwaters Conservation Area will be on your left. The parking lot is near the entrance. If youre coming from farther west, Beith Road eventually meets up with Route 47.

Amenities: This is a 349-acre site, most of it devoted to open space. It includes a great playground with equipment for both younger and older children; picnic shelters and tables; charcoal grills; gravel walking trails; equestrian trails; a viewing platform; a fenced off-leash dog area; prairie and wetland restoration areas and a small woodland. There are no indoor restrooms, but there is a portable toilet near the parking lot.

Good For: Families, children, dog owners, walkers, horse riders, nature lovers. The park is made up of three parcels acquired over several years by Campton Township to preserve the headwaters of Blackberry Creek.

Click to read more ...