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Prairie Street and Howard Street |
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Virtual Tour: click here |
Open Dawn to Dusk
Special thanks to the Kiwanis Club of St. Charles for donating the sensory water table as part of the new park’s amenities!
Fast Facts
Park Type: Mini Park
Acreage: 1.5
Park/Facility Code: KP
Trails: 0.04 miles
Amenities
- Accessible Swing
- Bike Rack
- Landscaped Plaza
- Parking – Street
- Picnic Tables
- Playground
- Shelter
- Trails – Paved
History
Established: 1962
Acquired: 1975
In the 1960’s, the United States was on the leading edge of space exploration and it brought great pride and wonder to many. Parks all over the country celebrated by installing rocket slides or providing space travel themes for outdoor play. Kehoe Park was established in 1962. The property was donated to the City of St. Charles by its owners Phillip and Annie Kehoe. The moon rocket slide was installed as the main feature of Jaycees Playground. The Jaycees contributed $1,500 for the purchase of the playground equipment. In 1975, the park was acquired by the St. Charles Park District. Over the years, the park site was informally named “Rocket Park” due to the popularity of the rocket slide.
The rocket slide was a symbol of many people’s childhood memories. In 2022, the beloved rocket slide retired from its nearly 60-year existence in St. Charles. While most playground components are replaced every 20-25 years, the park district recognized the strong sentiment from the community regarding the rocket slide so it remained a park highlight.
The St. Charles Park District is honored to preserve and commemorate this rocket memorial statue and its history, while keeping the park’s amenities safe and fun for all users.