Next Park Board Meeting
April 3
The regular meeting of the Horner Park Board of Commissioners will be held on April 3, 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.
Youth Sports
Horner Park Boosters
Park will reopen for traffic on
April 1, 2024.
Click here for further information.
Per our lease agreement with the Hattie Hypes Horner Trust,
Horner Park will be closed to vehicle traffic beginning on November 1st
and open again on April 1st.
As always, Horner Park is open from dawn to dusk to foot traffic year round.
The park is closed to walkers from dusk till dawn the next day.
During good weather, the Park Custodian may open the north side (access to Kiddie Corral and Park Hall) for periods decided upon by the Custodian. This is not a guarantee as factors may prevent the opening.
Upgrades and Enhancements
Horner Park Lake Closed 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 this year. The fish arrived on October 17, 2023 therefore,
ALL FISHING IS SUSPENDED UNTIL OPENING 2024 (April).
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 expected. We received over 3,500 fish, with many of them ready to reproduce (spawn?) during the winter months.
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 2023
New rental prices for the park hall and park pavilions went into affect on January 1, 2023.
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.