CANAL SHORES RECIPIENT OF COASTAL MANAGEMENT PLANNING GRANT

Canal Shores Golf Course has been named a recipient of a Coastal Management Planning Grant administered by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and funded through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office for Coastal Management. IDNR made the selection in late 2015. The grant is in the amount of $20,000, with the Course charged with matching the grant through funds that it will raise through donations and fundraising.

The program is designed to provide funds to organizations designing programs that will have a positive impact on Illinois’ Lake Michigan natural resources, and citizens – with a long term benefit to the environment. The Canal Shores plan provides for sustainable coastal planning, habitat restoration and land use planning. The grant is only one of 25 in the state and is based on the quality of the plans that will enhance environmental awareness and sustainability along Illinois’ coast.

In making the announcement, Evanston Wilmette Golf Course Association President John Powers of Wilmette said, “Canal Shores is honored to have been selected by the IDNR for this grant. It demonstrates our commitment to improving Canal Shores and preserving the natural beauty and habitat of the course that runs along the banks of the North Shore Channel – a prime nesting area for migratory birds, and a dedicated recreational open space in our community.”

Canal Shores is embarking on an ambitious effort to develop and implement an overall ecological master plan that will incorporate multi-use recreational opportunities and facilities with a focus on ecological and habitat renovation and restoration. The grant provides an opportunity for Canal Shores to take big step towards an overall long term plan for the course that will celebrate its’ 100-year history of golf along the channel.

“The Association is committed implementing much-needed improvements that will benefit future generations of our community. We are mindful of our responsibility to this unique space. I want to thank our Grounds Committee for its efforts to marshal our resources to implement these plans,” added Powers. Chris Carey of Evanston serves as Grounds Committee chair. The overall plan will be overseen by Steve Neumann, a key member of the Grounds Committee and an associate Board member; and Course Manager Tom Tully. The ecological plan parallels the Association’s efforts, now underway, to obtain full certification through the Audubon International Cooperative Sanctuary Program for golf courses, demonstrating leadership, commitment and high standards in environmental management. The Association is also in the process of developing an overarching master plan for the golf course. An RFP for development and implementation of the ecological plan has been issued to local landscape architects and planners.

About Canal Shores Golf Course and the Evanston Wilmette Golf Course Association – The Association, a non-profit, all-volunteer organization, was formed in 1919 to manage the operations of the 18-hole Canal Shores Golf Course. It is established as a charitable organization and qualifies as an exempt organization under Section 501(c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code. The course runs along the North Shore Channel from Green Bay Road in Evanston to the Baha’i Temple near Wilmette Harbor. The land that comprises Canal Shores is sub-leased by the Association from the City of Evanston and Village of Wilmette, which lease property from its owner, the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) of Cook County. It offers programs that celebrate the game of golf, with special programs designed for families, youth and the community. Visit the website at www.canalshores.org to learn more about the Association’s commitment to sustainability.

About Coastal Management

The Canal Shores project is funded in part under the Coastal Zone Management Act, by NOAA’s Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management in conjunction with the Illinois Coastal Management Program, Illinois Department of Natural Resources. You can learn more about NOAA and its programs at www.coast.noaa.gov/ and about the IDNR Coastal Management Program at http://www.dnr.illinois.gov/cmp/.