HOMER – The playscape at Homer Lake Forest Preserve is one step closer to completion.

Pam Leiter, coordinator of environmental education with the Champaign County Forest Preserve, said the project is still in its planning stages, but the preserve has a conceptual plan and is working to finalize the details of the project.

Leiter said she expects construction to start sometime next year.

"It's likely the project will be done in phases," she said.

A playscape is a term used by landscape architects and designers who specialize in designing and building play spaces that look and feel like a natural environment.

Leiter said the playscape will allow individuals to engage with nature in a safe environment.

"Unscripted outdoor play has been in decline, as kids spend more and more time with indoor activities; we hope to encourage them to get outdoors," she said. "Nature play has many benefits for kids' minds, bodies and spirits including greater creativity, reduced obesity rates, greater care for nature, improved concentration ability and more."

Leiter said children have greater potential for creative play in a natural playscape than in a traditional playground, and this benefits children's development. She also feels Homer Lake is the perfect place for a playscape.

"Families in this area will have a truly unique, cutting-edge play facility right in their backyard," she said. "It also has the potential to raise awareness of tourism opportunities in this area of the county, drawing more people to visit the area and spend their money at local businesses. "

The playscape will feature ideas based on public input. The current conceptual plan includes a constructed natural-looking stream, tall-grass maze, spider web climber, sand play area, slide embedded in the hill, log climbing area, boulder scramble, human-sized "bird house" and native plants, Leiter said.