City of Rockford - Garden Club Park Improvements

Project Information

The City of Rockford is completing a placemaking project to transform Garden Club Park into a pedestrian-friendly outdoor gathering space featuring an outdoor fireplace, seating, lighting, and enhanced landscaping. This project will enhance Rockford’s downtown waterfront by attracting visitors and encouraging them to stay. By converting off-street parking into on-street parking, the project will create additional open park space for public use.

Key features include an outdoor fireplace, LED lighting, decorative pedestrian pavements, ledged seating, landscaping, and other elements designed to energize the space. Funded by a placemaking grant, the project will be executed through the design/bid/build process to ensure its successful completion, estimated July 1, 2025.

April 14, 2025

Progress Report:

Construction of the north plaza subbase and “paver grate” to support the permeable pavers as well as electrical conduit and uplighting is complete.
Four of the 6 plaza trees are planted.

Upcoming Work:

The installation of north plaza aggregate base and permeable pavers.
Utility work in Bridge Street begins next week. The road will be closed for a short period of time with traffic detoured around the construction.

January 3, 2025

Design plans have been prepared by Prein&Newhof and the construction contract has been awarded to Katerberg VerHage. Final construction permitting is in process and construction is expected to start in March. Please feel free to bookmark this page and check back for periodic updates during construction.