Next Park Board Meeting
December 4
The regular meeting of the Horner Park Board of Commissioners will be held on December 4, 2024 at 7PM in Horner Park Hall.
The agenda for the meeting will be posted on the bulletin board located just inside the front gate. Access is available via the walk in on either side of the gate.
IMPORTANT – The 2025 Budget will be voted on during this meeting. Review the Budget Ordinance here.
Youth Sports
Horner Park Boosters
Park Restrooms are Closed for Season
Due to predicted weather dipping down to freezing (or below), the restrooms in all of the Horner Park District have been closed for the season. They have been winterized, so even if weather were to turn “warmer” again, they will not open until spring.
Note that per contract between the Trustees and Park Board, the park is closed for traffic. Walkers are always welcome, with parking available outside the south gate.
Special Swings for Special Children
Dedicated to the memory of 10 year Old Hayden Konieczny, the new accessible playground equipment includes a swingset with chair and a ground-level Merry-Go-Round to accomodate wheel chairs.
A picnic table with wheel-chair-access was purchased with memorial moneys in her honor.
Additional memorial funds have been given to the park for future improvements to the playground.
The Park Is Open for A Few More Weeks
Hours of Operation are from 8 A.M. till dusk daily.
Park will close November 1, 2024 for daytime vehicle traffic. Additional days may find the gates open due to good weather and at the discretion of the Park Custodian and Park Board.
(Watch this site for additional information.)
Reservation for pavilions and the park hall can be made through the Park Custodian. Contact Brian at (618)566-4027.
You can review the park hall information at https://hornerparkdistrict.org/hall-rental/.
Pavilion reservations are for the full day. Non-reserved pavilions are on a first-come, first-served basis.
Upgrades and Enhancements
Horner Park Lake Open for Fishing
A very big THANK YOU to the Horner Park Boosters and Lebanon’s Winter Wonderland for donating toward the restocking of Horner Park Lake.
The Horner Park Board voted to stock the lake once again for this year. The fish arrived on October 17, 2023 therefore, some species will be off-limits until later in the spring as they are expected to spawn closer to June.
Bluegill, Channel Cat, and some Croppies were stocked. We received over 3,500 fish, with many of them ready to reproduce (spawn?) during the winter months and this spring. Please check the notices in the park for which you need to leave alone.
Gazebo Maintenance
Given to Horner Park by Lebanon’s Winter Wonderland, the Gazebo is a great place to come, sit, and enjoy a panoramic view of the lake. We have already had many functions in the Gazebo, with several weddings among them.
From time to time you can find volunteers weeding, cleaning, re-applying wood protectant, and more. This past fall found Dr. Peggy Gerdes, LWW Secretary and Garden Club President, digging around the Gazebo and modifying the mulch beds surrounding it. Her goal was to make it easier for the mowing crews to keep a clean appearance. (It was also time to change the mulch.)
Dr. Gerdes put in the original shrubbery several years ago, has “oiled the wood” and has made it one of her passions to keep the gazebo looking good. 🙂 She appreciates any and all that wish to help with this as many hands will make things go much faster.
(Now, if we could just convince the squirrels to leave it alone.)
Volunteers Always Welcome
There are so many things needing done on a recurring basis in the park. Brian does a fine job trying to keep everything in line, but from time to time it takes a bit more. Contact Brian about volunteering to help, after all – Horner Recreational Park was built by volunteers.
Removal of Dead and Dying Trees
Horner Recreational Park is noted for many things. Our lake (and associated fishing), open spaces, ball diamonds, tennis/pickleball courts, great picnic areas, and TREES!
Unfortunately several of our trees are in the “fall of their life” (no pun intended). After serving as great shade for many years, they have finally reached a point where they need to be taken down before their branches come down on their own. Such was the activity on September 13, 2023 where J’s Tree and Debris came into the park and removed 5 and helped dislodge another large broken branch over the lake.
As you walk around our wonderful park, take a look at the openings that have been created, and how much better the park looks – especially along the north drive.
Tree replacement will be addressed at a future Park Board meeting.
New Picnic Tables for Kiddie Coral
New “child size” picnic tables have been received for placement inside the Kiddie Coral. Tables have been placed as soon as they were received. Thank you to the Horner Park Boosters and the Park Custodian (and crew) for taking up the challenge to sort and transport bottle caps used in the manufacturing of the benches and tables.
Pickleball & Tennis!
Carry a raquet or a paddle? A newly refurbished tennis court and two new pickleball courts await you at Horner Recreational Park.
Updated (and created) in fall of 2022, these courts have been very busy ever since their opening.
What is Pickleball?
Take a look at this video, offered on the USAPickleBall.org site.
Pickleball Rules
There are many locations on the Internet where you can find rules, instructions on how to play, and where you can keep up with professional players.
May we suggest The USAPickleball Rules Official Rulebook from USA Pickleball?
Remember Pickleball is the fastest growing sport in the US, and you can play right here!
How to Play
Rental Prices for 2024
New rental prices for the park hall and park pavilions went into affect on January 1, 2023 and remain for 2024.
Hall rental is now:
$325 for a full day,
$75 setup time day before (4 hrs.)
$175 for a half day (6 hours).
$50 for meetings (2 hours) with no food or drink.
$200 required security/clean-up deposit (refunded after successful inspection.)
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Deposit only – Boy, Cub, and Girl Scouts (Lebanon chapter only) – max of 1 rental per year.
$325 per day for additional rentals.
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To reserve a pavilion for a day:
Large pavilions are $60,
Small pavilions are $30.
A pavilion that is not reserved is on a first come basis.
Agendas for Meetings
The Horner Park Board of Commissioners meet the first Wednesday of each month. Agendas for these meetings are posted by Monday of that week, keeping with the Illinois Open Meetings Act.
Agendas are posted on the park bulletin board, located just inside the main park entrance (north side of the road.) They are accessible, even during times when the park is closed, via the walk-in areas at the side of the entrance gates.
Copies of the minutes can currently be received from the Board Secretary. Contact the Park Custodian, who will pass on your request.
Open for Walking –
Year Round
Horner Park is open from dawn till dusk each day for walkers. The park is closed from dusk till dawn the following day.
The area around the south entrance has been paved and is available to park walker vehicles when the gates are closed.
Reworking the Road
The Horner Park Board of Commissioners has undertaken an out-of-budget reworking of the drive around Horner Park.
The current road has reached the end of it’s useful life, but can be coated to keep it going until a more permanent fix can be realized.
Discussions on this project are expected at the monthly Park Board meetings.