Forgive me, but I just couldn’t help laughing at the sign that says “Deforestation” while a pile of logs lay in the background. To be fair, the Peoria Park District did re-use as many of the trees as they could in building the Africa exhibit as is evident to anyone who visits.

Here’s some other pictures. It’s quite nice, but the “older” section appears to be now closed.

tls1995: “Statue in the children’s section of the Luthy Botanical Garden over by the park.”

A plaque nearby reads…

The Children’s Garden

This garden will serve as a constant reminder of the importance of nurturing and protecting children and families as our most important community resource while providing a beautiful oasis from the stresses of daily life.

Dedicated April 24, 1998

While we’re waiting for spring to come, visit this web site and remind yourself of the beauty that is Luthy Botanical Gardens.

Billy Dennis: “This is the R. G. LeTourneau statue in Glen Oak Park, near the tennis courts. He built a tractor manufacturing plant at the site on North Adans in Averyville that Komatsu now uses.”

LeTourneau Technologies: “The LeTourneau name became synonymous with earthmoving worldwide. R. G. LeTourneau was largely responsible for the invention and development of many types of earthmoving machines that are in wide use today. He designed and built machines using technology that was years, and sometimes decades, ahead of his time, and became recognized worldwide as a leader in the development and manufacture of heavy equipment. The use of rubber tires in earthmoving; numerous improvements relating to scrapers; the development of low pressure heavy-duty rubber tires; the two-wheeled tractor unit (Tournapull); electric wheel drive, and mobile offshore drilling platforms, are all attributed to R. G. LeTourneau’s ingenuity. During his lifetime, he held hundreds of patents on inventions relating to earthmoving equipment, manufacturing processes and machine tools. His factories supplied 70 percent of all heavy earthmoving equipment used by the Allied armed forces during World War II. LeTourneau also pioneered numerous manufacturing processes and the development of specialized machine tools.”

TIME Magazine, Mar 25, 1940: “By 1932 his three-year-old firm of R. G. LeTourneau, Inc. was headed for the rocks after losing money on two big excavation contracts. His backers advised him to give up contracting, concentrate on manufacturing his dirt-moving machinery. He did. Three years later his profits had jumped 1,026% to $586,378 and he had put up another plant in Peoria, Ill., to be near big Caterpillar Tractor Co. which powered his machinery.”

This is the walking bridge that lines the ‘Savanna Grassland’ which features Giraffes, Rhinos and Zebras.

A few other photos…

The focal point of the ‘Zambezi River Village’

The giraffe holding pen. Note the extra tall doors.

A view of the Lion’s Den. The rock in the center is heated, giving the Lion a good reason to sit there in dramatic fashion. The boulders are made of re-bar, wrapped with wire mesh, sprayed with a cement mixture, spray painted, and finally hand-painted by an artist to produce the rich colors, shadowing and weathered effects.

I’ll agree with Billy that this is a cool diamond, and it is also my understanding that this one will survive the Zoo expansion, but… [editorial coming]… who cares? I have yet to see, in all my years of visiting Glen Oak Park, a single person playing baseball, or even catch, on either of the two Glen Oak ballfields. So I ask, what’s the big deal and why the outcry from the anti-Zoo Expansion activists over losing one of two unused ballfields?

At the Abington St entrance to lower Glen Oak Park. Plaque reads:

Michael Sonnemaker

1949 – 1986

Mike Sonnemaker was a core member and legal counsel for the Illinois Valley Striders – Peoria’s running club. He also was a fine runner, strong volunteer and great supporter of the Steamboat Classic, Peoria’s premier running event, which runs both ways past this sculpture – in and out of Glen Oak Park. Mike’s dedication, excellence and persistence – as an attorney, runner and volunteer – serve as an inspiration to the Illinois Valley Striders and runners everywhere.

Dedicated June, 1998 as part of the twenty-fifth year celebration of the Illinois Valley Striders and the Steamboat Classic.

Thanks to David and Isaac.

This statue is called “Critters” and is located in the Glen Oak Zoo (now called the Peoria Zoo.) I know nothing else about this; I only published this photo because a friend of mine, when asked how to increase my hit count replied “More Phallic Symbols.” – a reference to number 157.

After a little begging on Peoria.com, Mrs.Edwards fessed up that it was at the Glen Oak Zoo.