SHELBYVILLE, Ill. (WCIA) — WCIA is celebrating all things ‘Shelbyville’ this week while preparing for the next live Our Town event on Friday, June 28. On the north end of town, you’ll find a big green space complete with a pool, baseball fields, a dog park and miles of trails to hike or bike.
Mark Shanks, the public properties commissioner, knows Forest Park is full all of the time. With kids jumping into the pool and people taking to General Dacy Trail, it’s a spot families will always flock to in Our Town Shelbyville.
“Everybody’s going to look at this park and go ‘oh wow,’ what a nice park,’ and I think that leads to people deciding to settle here and open businesses here,” he described.
But perhaps the most recognizable part of the park is the big white building in the middle — the Chautauqua Auditorium.
“This building was built in 1903 at the height of the Chautauqua movement,” Shanks said. “Which was a religious and educational movement that swept the nation.”
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Back in the day, it was mostly used as an events center and hosted some pretty big names.
“I like to call it the internet of the day because people came here for educational, religious speakers, political speakers, and educational events on the stage,” Shanks added.
Now, school groups, community members, musicians and newly wedded couples fill the seats and use it for similar things.
One city council vote a few years ago helped protect the one-of-a-kind auditorium for future generations to come.
“This is the only one still in existence,” he said. “It was the largest one too, so we’re thrilled and feel lucky that we still have it.”
Shanks is happy to have a space like this right in the town he will always call home.
“You can spend a day in this park or more than one day in this park. There are lots of things to do and lots of things to see,” he said.
As for adding onto the park, Shanks knows a lot of people are asking for pickleball courts. He’s not sure how much more they can expand but will see what happens in the future.
You can join the WCIA 3 News team in Downtown Shelbyville on June 28th for our live 4, 5 and 6 p.m. broadcasts. There will be food, sidewalk sales, live music and more all evening long.
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