Reposted from WGLT By Sarah Nardi When the rebuilt O’Neil Pool opens, it will feature multiple pools, waterslides, and Bloomington-Normal’s only lazy river. All that will come with a price tag. The cost of admission will likely be upwards of $20. That’s raised concerns among some in the community that the pool will be inaccessible…

Reposted from The Pantagraph By Connor Wood BLOOMINGTON — The Illinois Prairie Community Foundation will honor its 2021 and 2020 Philanthropists of the Year during a luncheon on Nov. 18. Hank and Mary Campbell of Normal and Dale Maley of Fairbury were named as the 2021 recipients. For both 2021 and 2020 the foundation has…

Reposted from The Pantagraph By Sierra Henry; Photos by David Proeber BLOOMINGTON — An anonymous donor has created a $20,000 endowment fund to help families in west Bloomington take advantage of the planned $11.7 million O’Neil Pool and Park investments. Mayor Mboka Mwilambwe announced the newly created fund Wednesday afternoon (October 20, 2021) during a…

Reposted from The Pantagraph By Sierra Henry; Photo Courtesy Bloomington Parks, Recreation & Cultural Arts BLOOMINGTON — Miller Park Zoo is not only protecting endangered animals, but through a special grant, it will also help conserve native plant species. The zoo received a $1,000 grant through the nonprofit Illinois Prairie Community Foundation to plant several…

Reposted from WGLT By Colleen Reynolds A panel of three women who have successfully worked to improve diversity, equity and inclusion in their workplaces say efforts must be intentional and strategies need to address both individual and structural changes that can be sustained. The comments came during a panel discussion, “A Local Look at Diversity,…

Reposted from Illinois State University News By Emily Nafziger Dr. David Kopsell knows his students learn best when they engage with the class content and get their hands dirty. Literally. That’s one reason he constantly looks for ways to provide real-world learning experiences to his horticulture students—experiences that also contribute to the Bloomington-Normal community. As…

Reposted from The Pantagraph By Olivia Jacobs; Photos by Olivia Jacobs BLOOMINGTON — The 27th annual Evergreen Cemetery Walk will return this weekend and next with in-person walks on Sept. 25-26 and Oct. 2-3. Performances take place at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. each day at Evergreen Memorial Cemetery, at 302 E. Miller St. in…

Reposted from The Pantagraph and WGLT By Timothy Eggert and Sarah Nardi; Photos by Jim Finch BLOOMINGTON — Accommodating three different animals from South America at a 130-year-old wildlife park calls for some rearranging. At Miller Park Zoo in Bloomington, that’s especially true, as officials Wednesday morning broke ground for a new multipurpose education center.…

Reposted from The Pantagraph By Olivia Jacobs BLOOMINGTON — Submissions are now being accepted for The ExtraOrdinary Women Project. The initiative recognizes the efforts of local women by sharing their stories and inspiring others. Every quarter, one woman and her story will be chosen by the board of directors and will be featured on the…