“Enos Park Will Be Heaven in 2011!”
Springfield, Illinois
Download the EPNIA Special Highlights for 2011
The Enos Park Neighborhood Improvement Association was formed in 1989 by a group of concerned citizens living within the area bounded by North 3rd street(west), North 9th street(east), North Grand Avenue(north), and Carpenter Street(south) in Springfield, Illinois. Here is a diagram of the Enos Park Historic Area as it is represented today(highlighted in blue), along with the medical district boundaries(highlighted in green). As you can see we truly are the heart of the Mid-Illinois Medical District:
Our Association is dedicated to the preservation and revitalization of the neighborhood as we seek to restore Enos Park to the “Jewel of Springfield,” as the area was known at the turn of the century. Several neighborhood residents have taken pro-active roles in upgrading the look and feel of our neighborhood by restoring their homes to their nineteenth century charms. Residents and some private investors are purchasing homes and buildings in Enos Park and infusing funds back into our historic neighborhood to bring it back, one house at a time! The Park District spearheaded a major $280,000 renovation of Enos Park in 2008 and recently began work on Gehrmann Park as well.
We also have an all-volunteer Neighborhood Patrol that walks and drives the streets of the Enos Park historic area to ensure the safety of all of its residents. The patrol works closely with the Springfield Police Department and our Neighborhood Police Officer, Ryan Irwin, to prevent crime by being a visible presence on the streets and reporting all suspicious activities. The Association also sponsors a hotline (787-ENOS) that residents can call 24 hours a day to report nuisance activities or public works issues, and reports are then forwarded to our Neighborhood Police Officer and/or city Housing Inspector. The Association also participates in the Adopt-A-Street program and coordinates yearly neighborhood cleanups with the city’s Department of Public Works.
The Enos Park historic area is home to a diverse mix of ages and races, which adds to its cultural flavor. It is not uncommon to see neighbors sitting on their porches or chatting with friends who stroll by. The area has beautiful homes that date well back to the early 1800′s. The streets are tree lined and there are two wonderful parks in the neighborhood, Gehrmann Park on 3rd street and Enos Park at 7th and Enterprise. Last year, the street lights and pedestrain lights along the 5th and 6th St. corridors were replaced with same type of historic lights used downtown. The antique lighting is not only more in keeping with the character of the neighborhood, but also provides a visual link for tourists and others traveling to and from the downtown area.
All Enos park residents receive “The Enos Park Banner”, a newsletter that pertains to the area and recent news that impacts the neighborhood; a PDF copy can be found on our newsletter page. Events of the Enos Park area include: spring and fall neighborhood clean-ups, a summer ice cream social, participation in “National Night Out Against Crime,” Festival In the Park, Annual Enos Park Home Tour, Springfield Park’s Foundation “Concert in the Park” at Enos Park, Edwards Place Art Fair, and various other various events. The Association holds a pie sale every year at Thanksgiving and a candy/cookie walk at Christmas to raise money to help fund activties for the coming year.
We have one grade school in the area, grocery stores, dry cleaners/laundry facilities, drug stores, eating establishments, auto repair and service centers, auto supply stores, and banking facilities all within walking distance of our homes. We are also a short walk or drive from historic downtown Springfield, which has many unique restaurants and shops as well as the Abraham Lincoln tourism sites.
We also have two of the finest hospitals in the state of Illinois, St. John’s Hospital andMemorial Medical Center. The Mid-Illinois Medical District was created in 2002, making it one of only three medical districts statewide. This has led to several projects already, such as the building of an annex of Springfield Clinic and the SIU School of Medicine has constructed the SimmonsCooper Cancer Institute. In addition, the recently finished Prairie Diagnostic Center is a first of its kind cooperative enterprise between Prairie Cardiovascular, Memorial Medical Center, and St. John’s Hospital. If you’re interested in learning more about the Mid-Illinois Medical District check out Springfield Medical District’s website.
We have our monthly meetings on the second Tuesday of every month at St. Johns Hospital. Once you enter the lobby there will be signs posted to help you find the way. Hope to see all of you there!
EPNIA Board Members for 2012
| Steve Combs, President | 217-494-6668 | |
| Michelle Higginbotham, Vice President | 217 971 5830 | |
| Linda Maier, Secretary | ||
| Bryan Allen, Treasurer | ||
| Owen Anderson, Director | ||
| Dennis Chrans, Director | ||
| Diane Combs, Director | ||
| Fletcher Ferrar, Director | ||
| Jack Kriel, Director | ||
| Cynthia Mehl, Director | 217-753-2680 | |
| Rick Mehl, Director | 217-753-2680 | |
| Dennis Musser, Director | ||
| Betsy Dollar, Associate Director, non-voting | ||
| Marilyn Piland, Executive Director | 217-522-9381 | |
