February 05, 2026 

City Manager Pamela Reece

If you're like me, you're looking forward to longer days and more sunshine on the horizon. Although six more weeks of winter are expected (according to Punxsutawney Phil), we are getting ready for spring. Soon, Parks & Recreation will be accepting park shelter and community garden plot reservations. Cultural Arts will be unveiling new sculpture park installations in a few months. And, Engineering & Public Works will  soon announce the streets in our FY2026-27 resurfacing and pavement preservation plan. Much is happening behind the scenes as we prepare to kick off busy spring and summer seasons. 

This week, staff presented data analysis about fire and emergency medical response times and Council discussed how to continue providing quality emergency services to our residents. To learn more, watch the meeting on the Town's YouTube Channel or visit the Fire Department page on the Normal Forum. 

This issue, we spotlight Parks & Recreation. Read on to learn how Town amenities provide additional space for many groups at Illinois State and Heartland Community College. 

As always, our Cultural Arts and Parks & Recreation teams provide opportunities to connect and get involved. The Town proudly offers a variety of events and festivals and they kick off this month! 

A volunteer helps a player round the bases at Miracle Field, a space for those with disabilities to experience the joy and benefits which come from playing baseball. 

Normal is strong because of collaboration. The Town of Normal’s partnerships throughout the community illustrate what’s possible when local government works with others. 

The Parks & Recreation team regularly works with Illinois State University (ISU) and Heartland Community College (HCC) to maximize opportunities for recreation throughout the community. 

In 2025, their collaboration included:

A golfer reads the green at Ironwood Golf Course. 

(Photo Courtesy of Heartland Community College)

The Heartland Community College Cross Country team uses Maxwell Park for their home meets. 

(Photo Courtesy of Heartland Community College)

On Feb. 2, the Normal Town Council also took the following actions:

To learn more, read the Feb. 2 Council Action Reports. 

Monday, March 16:

The Town of Normal Cultural Arts and Parks & Recreation Departments coordinate programming and events for the community to enjoy. 

February

March

April

Events in Uptown Normal unless otherwise noted

The community enjoys eggs galore at the 2025 Easter Egg Hunt.

Town of Normal staff and consultants perform a prescribed burn in the creek area of Fairview Park in 2025. Prescribed burn management is an efficient and economical tool to reduce the amount of pesticides needed to control invasive plants. 

The Town of Normal uses prescribed fire to manage recently planted prairie areas  such as creek banks and detention basins. Prescribed burns help maintain native plant communities and promote ecological development. Without management, natural areas often become thickets of shrubs or weeds with little diversity.

Prescribed burns promote species diversity by burning off invasive plants and dead vegetation. Fire stimulates new plant growth by enriching the soil with nutrients and allowing sunlight to warm the soil, encouraging germination. Fire is a natural part of native Illinois ecosystems and natural landscapes need to be burned periodically to stay healthy and to provide habitat for native plants and animals.

All those conducting prescribed burns are specially trained, equipped and supervised. When burns are planned, the Normal Fire Department is notified and appropriate permits secured. This season prescribed burns are planned in the native buffer surrounding Blackstone Trails Pond and in other creek sections throughout the Town. (Notices containing contact information will be placed on neighbors' doors prior to any burns.)  

To learn more, visit the Creek Maintenance page on the Town's website. 

Visit the Town of Normal website for past editions of Normal Now. 

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