Urbana’s Pointe North Nature Park reopens this weekend after 4-year closure

The park has been closed to the public since May 2020 after some visitors overfished the pond, dumped trash and rutted the grounds with four wheelers, according to Dave Smith, owner of Freshwater Farms, who is leading a committee of volunteers to reopen the park. It originally opened in spring 2015.

Since the park has been closed, Smith and the volunteers have worked with city officials to develop ways to reopen it.

“Plans have been developed to prevent misuse, with the cooperation of the Urbana Police Department and the Champaign County Sheriff’s Office, who can be notified to assist when necessary,” Smith said.

The park will be open from 7 a.m. to sunset on Saturdays and Sundays, with volunteers monitoring the park while it’s open. Smith said the park will open on additional days as more volunteers are recruited.

Credit: Picasa

Credit: Picasa

Pointe North, located between Grimes Field municipal airport to the south and Freshwater Farms of Ohio to the north, features old growth forest, miles of hiking trails and six clear water ponds, including a blue hole and a stream, all fed by Champaign County’s aquifers.

Motor vehicles may only be driven on Dragonfly Drive, the east-west lane, from the entrance on U.S. 68 through Pointe North, and the loop around the lake to the south of Dragonfly Drive.

Fishing is allowed only in the lake and pond to the south of Dragonfly Drive — catch and release for bass only, while all other fish can be kept if desired. No fishing is allowed in the ponds to the north, but visitors can walk or hike north of the drive. A fishing license is not required since Pointe North is on city-owned land.

A GoFundMe campaign titled “Help Pointe North Nature Park!” is also active to raise funds for operational costs including insurance, locks, new gates to prevent ATVs and other off-road vehicles from entering, a website, signage, trash cans and a portable toilet.

For more information, visit the Pointe Nature Park Facebook or website, which is under development, at PointeNorthNaturePark.org.