Getting to Know UPF Trustee Ellen Kirsanoff

Getting to Know UPF Trustee Ellen Kirsanoff

My name is Ellen Kirsanoff, and I am a new Trustee with the Urbana Parks Foundation.  After serving as the Urbana Park District’s Development Manager for 25+ years, I retired in January of 2021, and joined the Foundation board in June.  The time I spent with the...
Five Ways to Support Urbana Parks All Year Round

Five Ways to Support Urbana Parks All Year Round

It is easy to take something for granted that has always been there, such as a local park. For as long as I’ve been alive, the trees, natural areas, walking paths, sports facilities, and so much more have always been there. It has always been “Nature when...
The Wellness Wheel

The Wellness Wheel

What comes to mind when you think of wellness? We often think of a mind-body connection: exercise, rest, meditation, and types of self-care that help reduce stress and promote a feeling of peace and harmony. There are even more paths to achieve a sense of well-being...
Urbana Park District Summer Camp Review

Urbana Park District Summer Camp Review

As the weather warms up and the end of the school year inches closer, our thoughts inevitably turn to summer. Perhaps even more exciting, with vaccinations being administered at a steady pace, it feels like this summer will be much safer, particularly with it comes to...
Stay at Home Spring Break: Spend the Week in Urbana Parks

Stay at Home Spring Break: Spend the Week in Urbana Parks

One year ago, our whole world changed dramatically. Just as we were about to head into Spring Break, the country started to shut down on a scale we have never seen before. News of cancellations and closures started spreading. Travel plans were thrown into disarray as...
Crystal Lake Park rejuvenation project

Crystal Lake Park rejuvenation project

Founded in 1907, Crystal Lake Park has been the bedrock of the Urbana Park District for over a century. Created out of a privately owned park from the 1880s, the park we now know eventually became a “summer resort” by damming a branch of the Salt Fork and has since...