Wauconda Park District among recipients of recreation grants from state

SPRINGFIELD – Eight Illinois communities will share almost $2.4 million in grants to expand access to outdoor recreation, Gov. JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources announced recently.

The Wauconda Park District received $750,000 for the acquisition of 4.4 acres along Bangs Lake that had been a privately owned marina and the only access point on the lake that can accommodate daily boat launches. Bangs Lake is a 306-acre natural glacier lake in the Fox River watershed that is a regional destination for boaters and anglers. Acquiring the property will enable the park district to preserve public access to the lake for future generations.

The district intends to continue marina operations, including boat slips, daily launches and rentals for boats, kayaks and paddleboards. Site improvements will address disabled accessibility, parking, boat slips and appearance of the site.

The grants come from the National Park Service’s Land and Water Conservation Fund and will be administered by IDNR. The LWCF program 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 $5.4 million in local park land acquisitions statewide.

“IDNR is excited to play a small role in helping these exciting outdoors projects become reality,” IDNR Director Natalie Phelps Finnie said in a news release. “Conserving and protecting our land, water and recreational opportunities is critical in ensuring future generations have access to nature and the outdoors.”

Other grant recipients include:

• Calumet City – $375,000 (Cook County): Plans are to acquire 9.27 acres to expand Blues Water Run, which is a seven-acre park that includes a dog park, entertainment venue, restroom facilities, a canoe/kayak launch and park activities.

• Campton Township – $750,000 (Kane County): Acquisition of a 130-acre site known as the Goldenstein Farm, which was identified more than 20 years ago by Campton Township as a priority for acquisition for public open space because of its old-growth woods, potential for prairie and wetland restoration, wildlife habitat and trail connections between multiple sites to expand public use of parks.

• Elba-Salem Park District – $10,000 (Knox County): Plans are to acquire four acres of adjacent property that is no longer being used as a railroad and add it to the park that consists of about 6.35 acres.

• Genoa Township Park District – $102,800 (DeKalb County): The project includes acquisition of a 10-acre parcel of farmland adjacent to existing parkland to allow for the expansion of the park district’s largest, most visited park and meet demand outlined in the park district’s 2020-25 Comprehensive Master Plan.

• Village of Minooka – $125,000 (Grundy County): Acquisition of 0.95 acres adjacent to Veterans Park. Multi-use paths will be connected through the expanded park to create an extension of the existing Mondamin/Wapella path system.

• Plainfield Township Park District – $200,000 (Will County): Plans are to acquire 6.5 acres of property along the DuPage River to connect existing sections of the DuPage River Trail.

• Wheaton Park District – $60,000 (DuPage County): Acquisition of a 0.78-acre parcel on the south side of Lincoln Marsh. The parcel is about 30 feet wide by 1,000 feet long and is improved with two sections of path that connect to the Lincoln Marsh.