OSLAD Grant Awarded

                                                

The Village of Lake Zurich learned Friday morning, January 17, 2020, that it is being awarded $400,000 from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources Open Space Land Acquisition and Development (OSLAD) program for public enhancements at the 41 acre Paulus Park on Rand Road, including:         

• Extension of walking trails to the north side of the park
• Shoreline restoration along the lake to the south side of the park  Installation of a new fishing pier
• Installation of a non-motorized canoe / kayak launch
• Replacement of the aged band shell stage
• Addition of a new picnic shelter with storage
• Additional site landscaping at the park 

                   

“Paulus Park is one of the primary gathering places of Lake Zurich and a source of pride for our village,” according to Mayor Tom Poynton. “We‘re always exploring ways to enhance the quality of life offered in Lake Zurich, and this State grant is a fantastic way to make it happen. Director Bonnie Caputo has been spearheading various grant opportunities to be used to benefit the families of Lake Zurich and this is a huge win for her staff and the village as a whole.”  

Recreation Director Bonnie Caputo says, “Parks and recreation staff and the many families we partner with throughout the community have been through the ringer the last few months with last year’s November 2nd fire at the Paulus Park Barn. We have been temporarily relocated and much of our equipment and supplies were lost in the fire. This $400,000 grant is an important morale boost for our team and is going to result in some great enhancement for our most utilized park.”     

The Village has 24 months to complete projects supported by OSLAD funding. Next steps include completing grant documents, detailed construction plans and the construction bidding process. The grant requires a $400,000 local match, which the Village will incorporate into its Fiscal Year 2020 and 2021 budgets. Work is planned to start later this year, with most of the construction activity occurring in 2022.                                                

Governor JP Pritzker announced this morning $29.7 million in OSALD grant recipients for 85 local projects to help communities acquire open space and develop and improve recreational facilities throughout Illinois. When combined with the investment of local matching funds, the grants announced today will support more than $56 million in local park development projects and land acquisitions statewide. 

The OSLAD program has invested $403.2 million in 1,729 local park projects since its inception in 1987. The program receives dedicated funding from a percentage of the state’s Real Estate Transfer Tax.