Oak Ridge Park

In the late 1970s, Caterpillar Inc. controlled the Peoria area. Just in Washington alone, over 25% of the town’s residents were employed by the company at that time. Caterpillar’s facilities were expanding and growing meaning great things for the local economy and local workers, but it wasn’t necessarily a good thing for one group: The Caterpillar Softball League.

In 1977 the league held its games in East Peoria at Tom Connor Field, but plant expansion led to the demise of that field. The same thing happened in 1978 when the league moved to LL Field and it was subsequently scheduled for demolition due to expansion of that plant. In 1979, the league leased a field near the East Peoria Holiday Inn, in the area near the intersection of Caterpillar Trail (Rt. 116) and I-74.

At the same time, Washington’s Park District activities were bursting at the seams. Some lower level softball games were played on open grassy areas at Washington Park, not even on diamonds. In addition, there was no place in town to offer soccer, therefore all Washington youth interested in playing soccer were funneled through the NTRA program at its already cramped facilities at Oliver Thomas Park.

In the summer of 1979, Caterpillar and the park district entered into discussion about a piece of property at the far north end of Cummings Lane. At the time, it was simply part of the Caterpillar Proving Ground surrounding property. An agreement was reached that would benefit both parties: Caterpillar would lease 31 acres of their property at $1 per year for ten years. They would also prepare the land for construction of diamonds and fields, and then make a sizable contribution to the park district for them to continue with the project to completion.

Original plans called for two multi-use fields for soccer, football, etc., and five or six ball diamonds, one of which to be a full size baseball diamond. According to the agreement, Caterpillar was to retain first priority of field use for its leagues, while the park district had free use of the diamonds any other time

There was a contest to name the park, and over 500 submissions were sent in, under the stipulation that the park not be named after Caterpillar or any individual person. In December 1979 it was announced that the winning entry was “Oak Ridge Park,” submitted by two individuals, Heath Miller and Shari Lane.

Work continued through late 1979 and early 1980, with the grand opening of the park set for the spring. There was a ceremony and all-star softball game on that first night of activity, June 2, 1980.

With the opening of Oak Ridge Park, Washington Park District was now allowed to offer soccer. Also, Washington High School added soccer as a varsity sport in 1980 and used the Oak Ridge diamonds as their home pitch for approximately ten years.

In 1995, the park district entered into an agreement with Caterpillar to lease another 22 acres of property for expansion of the soccer area.

Currently, the park hosts soccer, lacrosse, & JFL football along with its ball diamonds. There is a playground, concession stand, and parking has been expanded from the original lots. Community functions such as Fight for Life, Hope Walk, and Night Out Against Crime have been held at Oak Ridge Park. It is a tremendous asset to the community.