Parks in Edwardsville

The City takes pride in providing beautiful, well-maintained parks offering a range of amenities and features. City parks are open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Please explore the list below for features and locations. 

FACILITY RENTALS: To reserve available park pavilions or other facilities, including Watershed Nature Center sites, please click HERE.

Parks Amenities Parks at a glance2023 Opens in new window

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(Click images for larger versions)

•  Brent Leh Dog Park  •

This off-leash dog park was established near downtown Edwardsville in 2018. In 2019, it was named in memory of a community veterinarian, Brent Leh, who died in a motorcycle crash in 2018. The park has synthetic turf and fencing and includes some agility equipment. There is a water station for dogs, but water access is shut off during the colder months. The park is open year-round from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. and has dusk-to-dawn lighting. 

NOTICE: Park rules must be read and followed by all who utilize this facility. Please click here to access the rules.

LOCATION: Olive Street and West Schwarz Street (Click address for map)

•  City Park  •

At 2.088 acres, City Park is Edwardsville's most centrally situated park, located on the edge of downtown. City Park is also the site of the Edwardsville Public Library and the Cleaon Etzkorn bandstand. The bandstand serves as the focal point for events throughout the year, including Arts in the Park activities, the Edwardsville Route 66 Festival and concerts by Edwardsville’s Municipal Band, the Edwardsville Symphony and various bands as part of the Concerts in the Park series. City Park has restrooms, park benches, the Madison County Centennial Monument and a scenic fountain, donated by Mr. and Mrs. Richard Bearden. 

LOCATION: 101 South Buchanan Street (Click address for map)

•  City Plaza  •

This small park at the corner of St. Louis Street and Vandalia Street was dedicated in October of 2007 and features benches and a beautiful fountain. The location just off the downtown area is the site of a former office building. The plaza originally bore the name of Ninian Edwards, Illinois' first territorial governor and a former Edwardsville resident, but was renamed in November of 2020. The name change came on the heels of a public campaign denouncing Edwards as a pro-slavery official who owned slaves and skirted Illinois' law against slavery by maintaining them as indentured servants. Indentured servitude was allowed in the state at the time, although it was widely seen as a de facto form of slavery. As territorial governor, Edwards vetoed a law that would have abolished indentured servitude. A statue of Edwards that was erected there in 2008 remains in the plaza, although it was removed from its pedestal in 2021. In 2023 a lithograph was placed around the statue to shed light on Edwards' stance, policies and actions, which also included violent conflicts with Native American tribes who lived in the Illinois territory.

•  Drda Woods  •

William C. Drda Woods is a 71-acre green space property that is currently being reforested. Drda Woods preserve is adjacent to Bohm Woods State Nature Preserve. Preservation work is being led by parks staff, volunteers and the Heartlands Conservancy. Part of the terms of a grant from Illinois Clean Energy Foundation includes restoration of the forest, which was previously used as farmland. Plans call for public access to Drda Woods to be established off New Poag Road near the entrance to SIUE.

LOCATION: 5404 New Poag Road (Click address for map)

•  Hoppe Park  •

Hoppe Park stretches over 10 acres and is part of a complement of feature-packed sites (along with Winston Brown Recreation Complex and Watershed Nature Center) in that area of Edwardsville that offer plenty for nature lovers, athletes, families and more. Located on Tower Avenue, Hoppe Park is also the home of the Edwardsville Little League baseball program. 

Amenities include:

  • One major league-size baseball field (lighted)
  • One elementary-size baseball field (lighted)
  • One concession/restroom building
  • Three playground areas

LOCATION: 1500 Tower Avenue (Click on address for map)

•  Hotz Park  •

One of the smallest parks in the United States is located in Edwardsville at the intersection of St. Louis and Randle streets. Hotz Park, at just .2 acres, is home to a huge stone bearing a bronze plaque that commemorates the City's five resident governors. Those governors were: Edward Coles, Ninian Edwards, John Reynolds, Thomas Ford and Charles Deneen.

LOCATION: 300 Randle Street (Click address for map)

•  Joe Glik Park  •

At more than 42 acres, this park was purchased through a donation from Joe Glik and two Illinois Department of Natural Resources grants. Located near Dunlap Lake on East Lake Drive, this park accommodates many community events and a variety of activities. The first phase is complete, but additional development is planned.

Amenities include:

  • 2,500 feet of walking, biking and skating trails
  • Two stocked fishing lakes with a concrete fishing deck
  • Two picnic pavilions (available for rental)
  • Barbecue grill
  • Large comfort station
  • Playground with ADA-compliant surfacing
  • Sand volleyball courts
  • Basketball court
  • Large grass areas for open play
  • Freedom Fountain
  • Off-leash fenced dog park with trees and shade

LOCATION: 710 East Lake Drive (Click address for map)

•  Leclaire Field  •

Leclaire Field occupies 3.3 acres near Hale avenue and Troy Road. A signature Little League baseball facility was created in a cooperative effort with the Edwardsville Glen Carbon Little League Association. The site includes an elementary-size baseball field with a sprinkler system, electronic scoreboard, field lighting system, concessions, restrooms, press box building, paved parking lot, street lighting, grandstand seating and waterfall fountain. Nearby is the historic Leclaire Academy building, a more than century-old school building that delights as the site of the Edwardsville Children’s Museum.

LOCATION: 701 Hale Avenue (Click address for map)


•  Leclaire Park  •

Leclaire Park sprawls across 5.8 acres nestled within the historic Leclaire neighborhood. It is a favorite picnic and playground area and hosts numerous events throughout the year. The beautiful setting draws visitors from Edwardsville and surrounding communities. A sidewalk encircles the park and the scenic 2-acre lake, which is great for fishing and is frequented by geese and ducks. Three facilities within the park are available for rental.

Amenities include:

  • Three playground areas
  • Historic bandstand gazebo
  • Large picnic pavilion
  • Two small picnic shelters
  • Barbecue grills
  • Handicapped-accessible restroom facility
  • Two-acre fishing lake with a lighted waterfall fountain

LOCATION: 900 Hale Avenue (Click address for map)

•  Leon Corlew Park and Splash Pad  •

  • Splash Pad is open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day 
  • The Leon Corlew Park dry playground is open year-round 
  • FREE admission (No membership needed!) More details HERE.

Leon Corlew Park is a FREE fully accessible splash pad and dry playground that takes up over 2 acres behind the City's Public Safety Building. Play features range from gentle bubblers on one end to a large dumping bucket on the other side. Nearby, there's a traditional dry playground area offering both a toddler structure and a bigger kid structure with two tall and winding slides, all on a no-slip safety turf surface that's accessible for children of varying abilities and ages.

Amenities include:

  • Splash pad
  • Shade shelters
  • Playground
  • Three pavilions (two are available for rental)
  • Fitness trail
  • Restrooms (includes two family rooms)
  • Concessions (staffed from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.)
  • Barbecue grills

LOCATION: 337 South Main Street (Click address for map; please park in marked visitor spots and lots only.)

Splash Pad parking

•  Lusk Park  •

Lusk Park is the site of the City's oldest cemetery, occupying a shady expanse of over 2.8 acres just blocks from downtown. It is considered to be a passive park, and includes benches and memorial plaques, and is bordered by wrought iron fencing at the main entrance. The remains of several of the original headstones are still visible near the entrance.

LOCATION: 535 Randle Street (Click address for map)

•  Plummer Family Park  •

Plummer Family Park is a new sports complex with easy access to Interstate 55. Spread across 83 acres, the facility can accommodate numerous sports and team activities, and features 825 parking spots. And there is room for expansion for even more baseball/softball multipurpose fields. More info!

Amenities include:

  • Four lighted synthetic turf 12U baseball/softball fields
  • Three lighted synthetic turf multipurpose fields
  • Twelve outdoor pickleball courts
  • Two outdoor batting cages
  • Two buildings offering concessions/restrooms 
  • Playground

LOCATION: 3501 Sports Park Drive (Click address for map)

•  Richards Woods  •

Richards Woods is a passive park in Edwardsville. This roughly 35-acre space is a natural, timbered area on the eastern side of town, and was acquired in 2021 as part of the City's effort to preserve select green space areas. The City has hired the nonprofit HeartLands Conservancy to develop a conservation management plan for Richards Woods and Drda Woods that will incorporate some public access with best practices for removing invasive species and protecting native growth. 

LOCATION: Bordered by Marine Road and East Schwarz Street on the east side of Edwardsville. (Click address for map)

Richards Woods-0823

•  Rotary Park  •

A compact half-acre in size, Rotary Park is a neighborhood park located at the end of Hadley Avenue and Harrison Street. It is bordered on the north by a wooden fence.

Amenities include:

  • Playground
  • Picnic tables
  • Barbecue grills
  • Drinking fountain

LOCATION: Hadley Avenue and Harrison Street (Click address for map)

•  R.P. Lumber Center  •

The R.P. Lumber Center is a recreational complex in Edwardsville that provides residents and visitors a year-round option for skating, hockey, exercise and more. Offering one of the only 175-meter special surface tracks in the area, The R.P. Lumber Center features a state-of-the-art ice rink, a teen center and meeting space. The facility is adjacent to Edwardsville High School, Metro East Lutheran High School, Highway 157, Governors Parkway and many trails in the community.

LOCATION: 6289 Tiger Drive (Click address for map)

Check out the R.P. Lumber Center's hours of operation, program information, membership details and more HERE.

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•  Springer Woods  •

Springer Woods sits on 10.4 acres and is a wooded nature area that winds through a quiet neighborhood in the central-north section of the City. This site primarily serves as a neighborhood park.

Amenities include:

  • Children’s playground
  • Exercise trail
  • Two small picnic table shelters
  • Barbecue grill

LOCATION: Frederick Street & Springer Woods Lane (Click address for map)

•  Terry Park  •

Terry Park is situated on 3.9 acres and is largely a natural wildlife area located along Terry Street and Grand Avenue. Laced with walking paths, it is used mostly by neighborhood children walking to and from school. 


LOCATION: Terry Street (click address for map)

•  Tower Park  •

Tower Park is a 1-acre park located near Gerber Road and Governors Parkway in the footprint of one of the City's water towers. It is used mostly as a neighborhood park.

Amenities include:

  • Basketball court
  • Picnic pavilion
  • Barbecue grill


LOCATION: 89 Bennington Place (Click address for map)


•  Vadalabene Park  •

This 3.75-acre park is home to the City’s fast-pitch softball program. Vadalabene Park is located at the City's northern edge near Home Avenue and Voge Street. More than 1,700 participants in the community use the facility during the summer.

Amenities include:

  • One basketball court
  • Two lighted softball fields
  • Children’s "tot lot" playground 
  • Picnic pavilion
  • Two concession/restroom buildings

LOCATION: 501 & 599 Voge Street (Click address for map)

•  Watershed Nature Center  •

At 40+ acres, this outdoor learning center showcases the science and beauty of nature. Located adjacent to Hoppe Park, this nature center is the site of the City's former sewage lagoon. With the help of volunteers, donations and LWCF grant funding from the state, it was transformed into a breathtaking nature and education center that draws visitors from near and far. It includes 3,000 feet of paved trails, 800 feet of concrete walks elevated over wetlands, two observation towers, one observation blind, two lakes, prairies, upland forest, and a 1500-square-foot Interpretive Welcome Center building. 

The Watershed Nature Center exists as a public-private partnership between the City of Edwardsville and the Nature Preserve Foundation, a not-for-profit, 501(c)(3) organization. Learn more about the Nature Preserve Foundation here: www.watershednaturecenter.org/

NEW in 2023: You can rent the Watershed's welcome center building, treehouse, lookout, and/or outdoor amphitheater through Edwardsville Parks and Recreation. Click HERE to rent these facilities. The Watershed Nature Center is ADA compliant.

LOCATION: 1591 Tower Avenue (Click address for map)

HOURS: Dawn to dusk every day

•  West End Service Station  •

Starting in 1927, the building at 620 St. Louis Street served as a fuel stop and service center for area residents and travelers making their way along the iconic highway known as Route 66. In 1964, around the time that Route 66 was realigned, bypassing Edwardsville, the building was sold. For the next 55 years, until it closed in 2019, it housed a series of dental practices. In 2022, the building appeared headed for demolition until the City of Edwardsville partnered with Great Rivers and Routes Tourism Bureau to purchase and restore this Route 66 landmark. It reopened in June 2023 as a Route 66 interpretive center to take visitors on a nostalgic trip back in time through the stories and photos from past decades. Great Rivers and Routes staff are on site to answer questions, provide details on other area Route 66 attractions and show off the souvenirs available for purchase at the station. 

Find more details here: www.cityofedwardsville.com/WestEnd

HOURS: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday through Sunday

LOCATION: 620 St. Louis Street (Click address for map)

West End Service Station with gas pumps-0623

•  Winston Brown Recreation Complex  •

Previously known as Lower Hoppe Park, this 10.5-acre complex was renamed and dedicated in honor of the late Winston Brown, a longtime Park Board chairman, educator, coach and Edwardsville City Council member. 

Amenities include:

  • Two lighted softball fields
  • Two lighted full-size basketball courts with spectator seating
  • Sand volleyball 
  • Children’s playground
  • Concession/restroom buildings
  • Two picnic pavilions

LOCATION: 1325 Schiller Avenue (Click address for map)