A cow statue is part of the Wagner Farm's Adventure Area in Glenview.
Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com
The new Farm Adventure Area at Historic Wagner Farm debuted May 15 to great response by Glenview residents and village officials.
Twelve time slots from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. accommodating 30 people each "sold out within a few hours of being released," according to Jena Johnson of the Glenview Park District.
Attending a ribbon cutting of the new facility at Wagner Farm, 1510 Wagner Road, were various officers of the Wagner Farm, the Glenview Park District, and civic representatives such as state Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz, former Village President Jim Patterson and village trustee Mary Cooper.
The Farm Adventure Area, part of the park district's master plan using Glenview residents' input, is a combination of a traditional playground and an interactive agricultural education exhibit.
Play equipment is farm-themed and allows kids to interact with a rural environment, where they can play on a life-size dairy cow sculpture and pretend to run a farm stand or climb into a corn crib.
At Saturday's grand opening, families and children were able to take a wagon ride, go on an interactive tour, plant seedlings and explore.
The new addition to Wagner Farm was largely made possible by a $100,000 in funding and donations by Friends of Wagner Farm and $400,000 from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources Open Space Lands Acquisition & Development Grant Program.
Historic Wagner Farm currently serves more than 140,000 people annually.
Glenview Park Board President Bill Casey, above, speaks to audience members, right, during the grand opening of the Wagner Farm's Adventure Area Saturday.
Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com
Glenview Park Board President Bill Casey talks about the Wagner Farm's Adventure Area during its grand opening in Glenview Saturday.
Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com
Audience members listen to speakers during the grand opening of the Wagner Farm's Adventure Area in Glenview Saturday.
Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com
Farm Director Jon Kuester speaks during the grand opening Saturday.
Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com
A farm stand is part of the Wagner Farm's Adventure Area in Glenview.
Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com
Slides are designed to look like a corn crib at the Wagner Farm's Adventure Area in Glenview.
Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com
A family poses on the dairy cow statue.
COURTESY OF GLENVIEW PARK DISTRICT
Friends go for a spin on the new tire swing.
COURTESY OF GLENVIEW PARK DISTRICT
Attending the official ribbon cutting are (from left): Park Board commissioners Jennifer Roberts, Dave Dillon and Dave Tosh; Park Board President William Casey; Historic Wagner Farm Director Jonathan Kuester; state Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz (D-17th); Park Board Vice President Daniel Peterson; incoming Park Board Commissioner Cathy Basic; Friends of Wagner Farm Vice President Karen Diener; former Glenview President Jim Patterson; village trustee Mary Cooper; and Glenview Park District Executive Director Michael McCarty.
COURTESY OF GLENVIEW PARK DISTRICT
A photo opportunity on the roller slide.
COURTESY OF GLENVIEW PARK DISTRICT
A young farmer displays her wares at the Farm Stand.
COURTESY OF GLENVIEW PARK DISTRICT