A story of Legacy, Community, and Volunteerism coming together to create something truly amazing for the residents of the Chillicothe Park District.

History: The 48 acres of rolling, wooded terrain located off of Yankee Lane, originally used for coal mining and wagon travel, came under the control of the Neighborhood House of Peoria in the 1940s. From the late 1940s to 2006, the property was used as an overnight camp for developmentally and mentally challenged kids as well as inner city kids from Chicago to experience outdoor life in central Illinois. In 2007, after several years of declining use as a camp, the Peoria Neighborhood House was looking to sell the property.

The Park District Has an Idea: The time period of 2006–2007 was a very busy time for the Chillicothe Park District, but Executive Director Kevin Yates and park district officials did not want to miss the unique opportunity to obtain the historic river bluff property and create a native preservation area for public use. However, one hurdle to the possible purchase of the Neighborhood House property was the $260,000 price tag, a price that was prohibitive to the district because of other financial obligations dedicated towards the construction of the new Shore Acres Pool already underway.

Local Philanthropists Step Forward: Marion “Joe” Boyer along with his friend and fellow Chillicothean, Jack Bradley, were discussing opportunities for helping in the community. One afternoon, the duo sat down and made a list of community-enhancing opportunities in the area they wanted to support. One local project specifically piqued Boyer’s interest, the purchase of the Camp Neighborhood House property by the park district. After walking the property and discussing the potential benefits to the community with park district officials, Boyer donated $100,000 to the Chillicothe Park District for the purchase with the purpose of developing an outdoor educational area and leaving a lasting legacy that everyone in our community could enjoy. Because of this donation, the park district was able to reach an agreement with the Trust for Public Land to move forward with the purchase of the 48-acre property and rename it to Coal Hollow Park.

Another Community Hero Steps Forward: After purchasing the property in 2007 from Camp Neighborhood House, the park district made progress in developing the property by tearing down dilapidated cabins and repairing bridges. However, the challenge remained of removing invasive species and restoring native plants to complete the vision for Coal Hollow Park to become an area that would introduce visitors to the flora and fauna that once occupied the Illinois River Bluff. In 2015, environmentalist Mike Contratto was just the savior the park district needed with his extensive knowledge of Illinois native plant species and preservation methods to begin the next chapter of the restoration of the park. With approval from the park district officials and help from the Chillicothe Park District maintenance staff, Contratto led a team of volunteers and other local horticulture specialists to turn the property into a park featuring native plants, walking trails, and outdoor educational opportunities for the community to enjoy.

Coal Hollow Park Today: Officially opening in 2020, Coal Hollow Park’s two miles of walking trails became a local hotspot for everyone to enjoy with many indoor facilities closed due to the pandemic. In 2021, the neighboring 40 acres were purchased and an additional two miles of hiking trails were added with the help of many volunteers who continue to meet weekly to support the park district staff with trail maintenance and other enhancement projects.

Today, Coal Hollow Park plays host to many activities for the Chillicothe Park District and Chillicothe Parks Foundation, including Tyke Hikes, 5K Trail Runs, naturalist-led Night Hikes, and native species educational walks.

When asked about Coal Hollow’s role in the Chillicothe Park District, Executive Director Kevin Yates answered, “This park is truly an example of how when a community comes together everyone benefits because without Joe Boyer to help us purchase the property, Mike Contratto stepping forward with his expertise in invasive species removal and native plant restoration, and countless hours of volunteer help, Coal Hollow Park as we know it would not exist.”