Public Screening of New Documentary on Peoria Park District
A public screening of WTVP’s new, locally produced documentary, Peoria’s Playground: A History of the Peoria Park District, will be held March 12, 7 p.m. at the WTVP studio, 101 State Street, Peoria. The program will also premiere on WTVP at 7 p.m. on March 12 and will be available for streaming at www.wtvp.org.
Written and produced by Peoria native and Senior Producer for WTVP, Todd Pilon, Peoria’s Playground: A History of the Peoria Park District takes viewers back to 1894, when a scattering of private and city-operated parks came together to form the foundation of what is now the oldest and largest park district in Illinois. Through historical recollections and contemporary commentary, the 30-minute documentary also explores the PPD’s efforts to promote conservation and historical preservation so that the natural beauty and recreational opportunities in the area are available for future generations.
“Making Peoria’s Playground was a natural for me,” Pilon said. “I’ve been an enthusiastic supporter of Peoria Parks for most of my life and this documentary helps others see what an incredible resource we have here in our community.”
Peoria’s Playground: A History of the Peoria Park District is just one of several local documentaries produced by WTVP in the past year. Others include: Lydia: Ahead of Her Time, about the founder of Bradley University, The Art of Deception, about the beauty of vintage duck decoys, and Season 4 of the live music series State & Water. All are available for streaming at www.wtvp.org.
“This exciting new documentary is a great example of WTVP’s commitment to local programming and productions,” said President and CEO Lesley Matuszak. “Our mission is to serve the community, and this type of programming helps us achieve that goal. We would love to hear from our members and viewers about Peoria’s Playground and any ideas for future productions.”
WTVP’s mission is to enrich our community in engaging and relevant ways using public media and outreach efforts. Generous gifts to the WTVP endowment and through wills, life insurance, trusts and other planned giving strategies, help make this mission and vision possible. To invest in public television and the community, visit www.wtvp.org or call 309-495-0547.
