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SYCAMORE – The Sycamore Park District was recently awarded $240,300 in state funding for a planned 12-acre neighborhood park at Reston Ponds.
According to a news release from State Rep. Jeff Keicher, R-Sycamore, the park district was one of 87 Illinois park projects to receive public funding recently through the Illinois Department of Natural Resources’ Open Space Land Acquisition and Development (OSLAD) program.
“I would like to thank Representative Keicher and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources for their support of our project,” Jonelle Bailey, executive director of the Sycamore park district, said in a news release. “Our team here at the park district has worked very hard to plan this exceptional recreation space for our community and we are all very excited to continue moving forward and see the project through to completion.”
The planned project for Reston Parks at the intersection of Becker Place and Parkside Drive in Sycamore will feature a 12-acre space with recreation opportunities for all ages, according to the release. The grant will fund development of a playground, small loop trail, picnic shelter, soccer field, one pickleball court, a native landscaping buffer and educational signs.
Additional amenities that include a second pickleball court, large loop trail, tennis court, basketball court, fitness equipment, and a parking lot will be phased in over time, according to the release
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.
“When we say ‘Life Offers More in Sycamore,’ that phrase is most fully demonstrated by our outstanding park district and their commitment to our community,” Keicher said in a news release. “I was pleased to support the park district’s application for a state grant to develop the Reston Ponds Park project and congratulate Jonelle Bailey and her team on their well-deserved success.”
The state program that started in 1987 has invested $433.5 million in 1,816 Illinois park projects. The program receives dedicated funding from a percentage of the state’s real estate transfer tax, according to a release from the state’s office.