Fehr Graham, a leading Midwest engineering and environmental firm, helped three clients win Illinois Department of Natural Resources grants to support park projects.
The Freeport Park District, the Village of Pingree Grove and the City of South Beloit were among the 67 recipients of Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development (OSLAD) grants for park and recreation projects that improve communities. The program awarded $36 million across the state this year, with $11.4 million designated for communities facing significant economic challenges.
Established by the Illinois General Assembly in 1986, OSLAD is a cost-sharing program between state and local governments that helps communities fund land acquisition and development for parks and outdoor recreation projects. It's become one of the most popular grant programs in Illinois. Since its establishment, OSLAD has awarded $640 million for park projects throughout Illinois.
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We’re proud to bring new recreational facilities and expanded green spaces to communities through the OSLAD program.” |
Gov. JB Pritzker
The Freeport Park District received $582,445 for Krape Park improvements, which will include a playground and climbing boulder replacement, accessible fishing pier, overlook with a pergola and parking, disc golf course, wayfinding signage, pickleball and tennis court lighting, and parking. Krape Park is one of the community's most beloved destinations. Fehr Graham has a long history with Krape Park projects, including a Master Plan, Americans with Disabilities Act-accessible mini golf course, and sanitary sewer and trail improvements.
The Village of Pingree Grove received $600,000 to improve the skate park at Spinnaker Street and Wester Boulevard. Proposed improvements are a picnic shelter with built-in grills, a seasonal ice skating rink, a basketball court, pickleball courts, an accessible zip track, a concrete game area for bags and ladder ball, a ball wall game, site furnishings, landscaping and parking lot expansion.
The City of South Beloit received $600,000 for a neighborhood park at Nature at the Confluence, a nonprofit environmental education center where the Rock River, Turtle Creek and Kelly Creek intersect. The City plans to acquire 25 acres along the Rock River near Charles Street and turn it into a park with an overlook of Kelly Creek, picnic shelter and tables, outdoor classrooms, an information kiosk, and roadway and parking improvements.
"From playgrounds and walking trails to pickleball courts and native landscaping, we're investing millions to revitalize outdoor gathering spaces, strengthen local communities and offer new recreational opportunities to Illinois families across the state," Pritzker said.
Read the full news release and list of recipients here.