Nicholas Dowden Park Project Gets $400K In State Grants

LIBERTYVILLE, IL — A Libertyville park is among 87 parks in Illinois that will will receive state funding through a grant program, Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced Tuesday.

The village of Libertyville received $400,000 in grants to help pay for improvements as part of phased upgrades at Nicholas Dowden Park. The funds will help pay for Phase 1 of the improvement project.

In total, the state awarded $30.3 million in grants to parks across the state to help communities acquire open space and develop and improve recreational facilities throughout Illinois, according to a news release from the state.

Other Lake County park districts, forest preserve districts and villages to receive grant funds include: the Lake County Forest Preserve, which received $400,000 in grants to help pay for redevelopment at Lakewood Forest Preserve; the Waukegan Park District, which received $400,000 for renovations at Bevier Park; and the Buffalo Grove Park District, which received $400,000 for upgrades at Prairie Grove Park.

"Investments in our local parks are investments in our communities," Pritzker said in a statement Tuesday. "Park projects don’t just create jobs and boost local economic development — they open the gateway for a healthier, happier Illinois. Every family in our state deserves nearby access to outdoor public spaces where they can gather with their friends and neighbors — and enjoy some sunshine, too."

The grants are provided through the state’s Open Space Land Acquisition and Development program and administered by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. OSLAD grants can provide up to one-half of a project’s funds and, when combined with the investment of local matching funds, will support more than $56 million in local park development projects and land acquisitions statewide, according to a news release.

The OSLAD program began in 1987 and has invested $433.5 million in 1,816 local park projects.

The full list of parks that will receive state funding through the grant program can be found on the state of Illinois' website.