Niles Awarded Grant To Create Pollinator Garden And Wildlife Refuge

NILES, IL — The Village of Niles has been given a grant to transform an unused area of turf grass into a wildlife refuge and pollinator garden. The grant, from ComEd and Openlands, is one of 25 awarded as part of the Green Region Program. Niles’ will use the funding to support native pollinator species, offer educational signage and create Farm on Franks, an environmental sanctuary for community residents at 7087 N. Franks Ave. The location is former site of Jozwiak Park, which is now just a "concrete slab covered in boulders and large rocks," according to the village.

Each grantee will each receive up to $10,000 for open space projects that focus on conservation, preservation, and improvements to local parks and recreation resources. This marks the fifth year that ComEd is partnering with Openlands, one of the oldest metropolitan conservation organizations in the nation, for the ComEd Green Region Program. Grants this year focused especially on projects that help pollinators like butterflies and bees.

"This year's Green Region grantees are working diligently to ensure that open spaces in northern Illinois are enhanced, protected, and preserved," said Fidel Marquez, senior vice president of Governmental and External Affairs at ComEd. "The grants will help each of these communities advance its own unique green initiative, from transforming unused turf grass into pollinator gardens to building brand new outdoor classrooms. ComEd is proud to partner with Openlands to support a sustainable future for our communities and our customers." (Get Patch real-time email alerts for the latest news for Niles — or your community. And iPhone users: Check out Patch's new app.)

The Green Region partnership is one of the many ways ComEd and Openlands give back to support environmental projects in the region. Openlands, a Chicago-based non-profit focused on land conservation, is administering the Green Region Program. Earlier this year, municipalities throughout northern Illinois submitted their grant applications, and an advisory committee composed of county government officials and members of the region's non-profit land conservation community reviewed the applications.

"Openlands believes that open space—from trails and preserves to public gardens and tree-lined streets—is critical for the quality of life of our region," said Openlands President and CEO Jerry Adelmann. "Thanks to ComEd's support, we are able to help communities throughout northern Illinois create and enhance open space where their citizens live, work, and play."

Location of proposed Farm on Franks

» via Openlands

_{Top photo via Pixabay}