Prior to the 1950s, the property now occupied by Eldridge Park was a landfill - swampy and unusable. Today, Eldridge is one of Elmhurst's most peaceful and versatile parks. Eldridge offers picnic areas, a playground, soccer and baseball fields, basketball, roller hockey, bike trails and a sledding hill. But one of the biggest draws to Eldridge is the lagoon, which is surrounded by huge weeping willow trees and is home to many types of wildlife. Residents often can be found fishing there or boarding a canoe at the boat launch for a trip down Salt Creek. The east and west sides of the park, separated by Salt Creek, are connected by a bridge that was built in 1983.