'Anchor for the park': Glen Oak amphitheater will see changes over the next two years

Changes to the the aging amphitheater at Glen Oak Park are coming, but not before the Peoria Park District first accomplishes other priorities at one of the city's flagship parks.

Emily Cahill, executive director of the Peoria Park District, said there are plans to modify the amphitheater at Glen Oak Park, including adding more seating, but added those plans are not immediate priorities for the park district.

"As we look to continue to invest in Glen Oak Park, our priority in the short term is really to finalize and install a new fully inclusive playground just above the amphitheater. Our next step will be to put in an accessible restroom, which is very much needed," Cahill said.

Cahill said the process of "improving and modernizing" the amphitheater space will begin when the park district has access to state grant dollars for the project. She hopes it happens within the next two years.

That modernization could include modification of the existing structure, taking it down and "shifting to a newer structure" or moving the amphitheater to open up views of the lagoon.

"That's all going to be budget driven," Cahill said.

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Amphitheater renovations and improvements will depend on how much money the park district can secure. Cahill said that could include adding additional seating to the bowl or adding a shelter or space that will "make it more friendly to not just concerts, but daily use."

Recently, the park district removed fencing around the amphitheater to open up space.

"There's a lot that happens in Glen Oak Park. It's super well-used, and there's several hundred thousand people that come through there every year. And Glen Oak Park is not one of our larger parks by acreage, so to have a space that was completely blocked off — except when we had special events — just did not make sense for us," Cahill said.

Cahill said modernizing the amphitheater and making it more flexible in use is a goal of the park district. The original bandshell was built in 1896 and replaced in 1960 with its current setup.

"(The amphitheater) really is an anchor for the park. It's been there a really long time," Cahill said. "People have lots of really strong memories and positive memories in that space."

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This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Changes coming to aging Peoria amphitheater. Here's the plan