Pritzker Administration Awards Park Grants Including Projects in DeKalb County

SPRINGFIELD – The Pritzker administration has awarded $36 million in grant funding to support 67 local park projects across Illinois through the Open Space Land Acquisition and Development program, with funding set aside for economically distressed communities for the fourth consecutive year. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources said 20 underserved communities will receive a combined $11.4 million. In DeKalb County, grants include $400,000 for the DeKalb Park District for Prairie Park, $600,000 for the Genoa Township Park District, which is designated as a distressed community, and $477,900 for the Sycamore Park District for phase two of the Reston Ponds Park project. The program is a cost sharing partnership between the state and local governments and has awarded about $675 million for park and recreation projects since it was created in 1986.