NORMAL - The 1898 water tower at Fell Park is starting to show its age and Central Illinois winters have taken a toll on the brick sidewalks around the park.

Normal Parks and Recreation Director Garry Little also would like to see a plaque highlighting the history of the town's first park, more seating and lights that show off the tower.

"We want to try to preserve the history of the park and bring it to the attention of others," he said.

Part of the town's Community Development Block Grant funding will help the town do just that. The work is expected to start this summer.

That news thrills Judy Scott, a park neighbor who has spearheaded several efforts to showcase the long history of the park.

"I knew (the work) was down the way, but with the grant, it's nice," Scott said. "They can get the improvements going. The tower is really deteriorating."

Little said top priority will be tuckpointing the water tower. Other work that will be done with the $175,000 in grant money will include creating a water tower patio with brick pavers, relaying the brick sidewalk, adding period lighting along the walkways and burying overhead utility lines. Eventually the park will get another gazebo with a fireplace.

The Women's Improvement League is donating bench for the park, Little said. And Scott said the neighborhood likely will have a fundraiser at this year's Fell Fest on Sept. 22 to raise money for either a plaque or statue of Jesse Fell to add to the park.

Fell earmarked the land - located between what is now known as Cypress, Willow, Walnut and Oak streets - as a park from the time the area became the town's first addition in 1857. It wasn't formally deeded to the town until 1898 when town officials wanted to build the water tower.

Fell's widow, Hester, agreed to the deed under the condition that the park was always used as a park.

"This park was never anything fancy," said Scott.

While the addition of lighting and other planned amenities weren't there in the beginning, she admitted it will make the park more comfortable.

"People can sit and reminisce and let the kids play," she said. "Newer parks don't have the same feel."

The improvements at Fell Park are among several projects the town will accomplish with the Community Development Block Grant money. Officials expect to get $417,000 this year and have a $470,000 fund balance from previous years.

Other projects that will benefit include: $35,00 for street resurfacing; $30,000 for the down payment assistance program; $17,100 to pay rent, electricity and Internet at the Unity Community Center; $15,000 for Occupational Development Center workers to pickup litter uptown six days a week; $30,000 for daycare costs for low-income Heartland Community College students; and $400,000 toward the Marriott Hotel/Conference Center which will provide at least 40 full-time jobs for people with low/moderate income levels. The money also will cover $55,730 in administrative costs and the rest will be used for future projects not yet determined.

Fell Park history

• Jesse Fell planned for the park, a city block in northeast Normal, when he platted the area as the town's first addition in 1857.

• In the early days, the town rented the space as a cow pasture and animal pound for stray cattle.

• The town asked Fell's widow, Hester, to deed the park to the town in 1898 so it could build a water tower.

• Late in the 19th century, it was used as a picnic area.

• By the 20th century, the Central Illinois Holiness Association held its summer meetings at the park.

• The Women's Improvement League also started summer recreation programs for children in the 20th century. The programs lasted into the 1970s.

• The tank on top of the water tower was removed in 1975 and the brick base was repaired and stabilized.

• The town designated the park a historic landmark in 2003.

SOURCES: Pantagraph archives; "The Legacy"; Compiled by Mary Ann Ford