Parks & Recreation

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Our Mission

It is the mission of the McLean County Department of Parks and Recreation to ensure adequate provision for high quality of regional parks and related outdoor recreational activities for all citizens of McLean County in the most cost-efficient manner.

Adopt-A-Tree Program

Would you like to Adopt-A-Tree at COMLARA Park?

In the last couple of years, the park staff has had to cut down several Ash Trees that were destroyed by the Emerald Ash Borer, specifically in the Campground and Main Recreation Area (MRA). For a donation of $100.00, the Park’s Dept. will purchase a 5-6 ft. tree and have a small plaque made with it to say you donated it and/or in memory of someone who was special to you. For a donation of $200, the Park’s Dept. will purchase an 8-12 ft. tree and have a larger, more decorative plaque made with it to say you donated it and/or in memory of someone who was special to you. CONTACT MIKE AT (309) 242-5806 OR TALK TO A STAFF MEMBER AT THE PARK VISITOR CENTER. THANK YOU!

PLEASE HELP US! Fence Posts & Fencing Donations Needed For Tree Seedling Project

Now we are looking to Phase 4 & 5 of our large tree-planting project. If any of you would like to donate/get rid of any FENCE POSTS and/or FENCING, please let us know. Just about any kind of posts will do and fencing can be anything from chicken wire to chain link, and condition does not matter. We will use these after transplanting the tree seedlings to keep the tree cages upright and the critters from munching on them. We can pick up or you can drop off at the COMLARA County Park Visitor Center. You can call the Park Director at (309) 242-5806 or the Park Visitor Center at (309) 434-6770. We cannot thank you all enough.

Join Us On The Park's Facebook Page!

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Regional Parks

The 2,250 acres of regional parks currently provided by the McLean County Department of Parks and Recreation include COMLARA County Park/Evergreen Lake and S.H. West County Park.

COMLARA County Park includes the following locations:

  • Deer Island Area
  • Lake View Area
  • Main Recreation Area
  • Mallards Bay Conservation Area
  • Six Mile Creek Area
  • Southeast Conservation Area
  • Southwest Conservation Area
  • White Oak Area


Planning for the Future

Future McLean County regional recreation facilities being constructed include the Historic Route 66 Regional Trail and Greenway. The 32-mile Historic Route 66 Trail will link many rural communities and regional natural resources such as the ParkLands Foundation Lexington Preserve along the Mackinaw River and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources Funks Grove Nature Preserve to the metropolitan area of Bloomington / Normal, Illinois. This trail provides interpretive opportunities along the Historic Route 66 corridor for central Illinois visitors. Sections of the trail linking Bloomington, Shirley and Funk's Grove to the south and Towanda to the north are complete. Additionally, Lexington and Chenoa have sections completed within those Communities, providing bicycle and pedestrian opportunities.