New playground installed at Merriner Park in Streator

Children in Streator have a new place to play, as city officials and the Streator Area Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday morning at Merriner Park to celebrate the installation of a new playground.

The new equipment replaces an almost 30-year-old play set that served the neighborhood since 1995.

However, after a vandalism incident two years ago made the equipment unsafe, the city received insurance money and began looking into replacement options.

“We started looking last year and placed the order this past spring,” Mayor Tara Bedei said. “Public works installed it themselves, which helped save on costs.”

In total, the playground cost about $20,000, but thanks to an insurance reimbursement, the city only paid about $5,000 out of pocket.

The new playground sits in the same location as the old one and includes updated safety surfacing and fresh mulch.

In addition to the new equipment, updates have been made to the park’s landscaping.

A flower bed has been cleared, and city crews reused native grasses to create a cleaner, more uniform look along the sidewalk, making the area easier to maintain and improving accessibility to the nearby parking lot.

New parking spaces also have been added nearby.

The sidewalk in the area still needs to be updated, Bedei noted, but the bulk of the project is complete.

The Merriner Park improvements come as the city also prepares for another playground coming to Marilla Park, where installation could begin as early as this fall.

“It’s great to see one of our older sets replaced,” Bedei said. “This is a nice park with some shade, and the playground will be nice for children in this neighborhood. Hopefully, we’ll see the Marilla project follow soon.”

Streator Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Derek Barichello said the new playground is good for both the neighborhood and nearby businesses.

“Merriner Park offers a shady, convenient spot for families visiting Westgate Plaza, and it serves as a nice gateway to the Hopalong Cassidy River Trail,” Barichello said. “It’s a great addition for the riverside neighborhood and supports the continued growth of nearby businesses.”