Dodds Park

Dodds Park is located in northwestern Champaign, Illinois near Parkland College. This 110-acre (45 ha) park (roughly one fifth of the total Park District holdings) is noted for the "Tribute to Olympic Athletes Monument" on its grounds. The park was purchased in 1969 for the sum of $298,495.

Facilities

The park has 7 lighted baseball fields and 12 soccer fields on its grounds.^[2] Additionally, it features a small playground and picnic tables.

Champaign County Workers' Memorial

The memorial was dedicated on Labor Day September 2, 2002, and serves as a memorial to those workers who had lost their lives while working on the job. The memorial consists of two tablets which bear the names of those who have died working in Champaign County.^[3]

Tribute to Olympic athletes

The "Tribute to Olympic Athletes" was created to honor those residents of Champaign County who have competed in the Olympics. To date 41 athletes are commemorated on the monument since the tribute's dedication on July 4, 1991.^[4] The monument consists of several rising plateaus forming a walkway leading to a large granite gateway. Beyond the gateway a pedestal overlooking the playing fields in Dodds Park is inscribed with the names of those who have represented Champaign County in the Olympics.

Notable Olymipic athletes

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

Tribute to Olympic Athletes, Dodds Park, Champaign, Illinois

• Jean Driscoll, Wheelchair racing, 5x , 3x , 4x , 2000 Sydney, 1996 Atlanta, 1992 Barcelona, 1988 Seoul
• Bonnie Blair, Speedskating, 5x , , 1984 Sarajevo, 1988 Calgary, 1992 Albertville, 1994 Lillehammer
• Bob Richards, Pole Vault, 2x , , 1948 London, 1952 Helsinki, 1956 Melbourne
• Nichole Millage, Paralympic volleyball, 2x , 2012 London, 2008 Beijing
• Tyler McGill, 4x100 m medley, , 2012 London
• Robert Espeseth, Rowing, , 1976 Montreal, 1980 Moscow, 1984 Los Angeles, 1988 Seoul
• Gia Lewis-Smallwood, Discus, 2012 London
• Karen Brems-Kurreck, Cycling, 2000 Sydney
• Dwight "Dike" Eddleman, High Jump, 1948 London

References

City of Champaign People List of people from Champaign History and government Burnham Athenaeum Cattle Bank Champaign City Building Champaign Public Library Construction of Assembly Hall First Presbyterian Church Illinois Traction Building Inman Hotel Lincoln Building Orpheum Theatre Stone Arch Bridge U.S. Post Office Vriner's Confectionery Education Centennial High School Champaign Central High School Judah Christian School St. Thomas More High School Parkland College University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign Cultural places and events Boneyard Creek Campustown Champaign Park District Centennial Park Dodds Park Champaign Swarm (MPBA) Ebertfest: Roger Ebert's Film Festival Illinois Marathon JSM Challenger of Champaign–Urbana Krannert Art Museum Market Place Mall Orpheum Children's Science Museum Staerkel Planetarium State Farm Center Virginia Theatre The Rare Book & Manuscript Library (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) Public transportation Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District Illinois Terminal University of Illinois Willard Airport Interstates and highways Interstate 57 Interstate 72 Interstate 74 U.S. Route 45 U.S. Route 150 Illinois Route 10 Category Commons