The Illinois Department of Natural Resources announced $36 million in grant funding was awarded to 67 local park projects throughout Illinois, including Renfrew Park in Dwight, to help communities acquire land and develop recreational opportunities. The grants were awarded through the Open Space Land Acquisition and Development, or OSLAD, program. The Village of Dwight will receive a $600,000 grant as part of the Renfrew Park Master Plan Phase II upgradeFor the fourth year in a row, the governor and IDNR ensured funding was set aside for economically distressed communities, resulting in 20 underserved communities receiving $11.4 million in OSLAD grants this year.
Established by the Illinois General Assembly in 1986, OSLAD is a cost-sharing program between state and local governments that helps communities fund land acquisition and development for parks and outdoor recreation projects. It’s become one of the most popular grant programs in Illinois. The program is financed by a percentage of the state’s Real Estate Transfer Tax, and IDNR serves as the administrating agency.
Coal City also received a $600,000 grant for Hunter’s Run Park.
