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Pritzker announces $60 million park grants, declines to endorse Chicago mayor candidate

Gov. JB Pritzker on Wednesday announced the release of nearly $60 million in grant funding to help local governments develop public parks and open spaces, over 20 percent of which will go to “distressed” communities.

The money through the Open Space Land Acquisition and Development grants was distributed to 118 projects, all but one ranging from $102,800 to $600,000 per grant, per a news release. The allotment to “distressed” communities – which are determined by an area’s poverty level and land value – is a roughly five-fold increase from the previous fiscal year.

The governor made the announcement at a park in Springfield that will receive $600,000 through the Springfield Park District to demolish an outdoor pool and build a modern splash pad and pool facility.

Pritzker noted that the current fiscal year marks the first time that 100 percent of costs in distressed communities will be covered, as lawmakers waived the cost-sharing requirement for projects in those communities that would normally apply to grantees.

“This means that places needing renewal and restoration like the city of Cairo, Illinois, which is a recipient of their first ever OSLAD grant will be able to improve their parks and their green space,” Pritzker said.

Cairo was slated to receive $599,500 in grant funding. Approximately 59 percent of the grants are directed to the Chicagoland area, including Cook and its five surrounding counties. A total of 46 counties will see new projects.

At least $12.5 million of the more than $59 million in funding will go to distressed communities.

Among the other projects, the city of Benld in Macoupin County will receive $600,000 at the site of its former elementary school that was destroyed by underground mine subsidence in 2009. Peoria Park District will receive $255,000 to acquire 40 acres along the Illinois River Bluff to extend a hiking trail and conduct conservation work. It will also receive $600,000 to replace an outdoor swimming pool at its Lakeview Park with a modern splash pad and pool facility. Another $600,000 would go to the Chicago Heights Park District to build three soccer fields, new lighting and spectator seating at Commissioners Park.

This year, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, which oversees the grants, contracted with the Northern Illinois University Institute for the Study of Environment, Sustainability and Energy. Through that partnership, 15 undergraduate and graduate NIU students served as supervised grant reviewers.

“One of our students shared that she and her family had enjoyed access to a brand new neighborhood park, in her small village in Illinois,” said Thomas Skuzinski, director of the institute at NIU. “And knowing that she had played a role in helping to bring that kind of opportunity to families and communities statewide, was in her words, truly life changing, and easily the most important thing that she had ever done in her life.”

The OSLAD grant program has been in place in Illinois since 1986, and the Fiscal Year 2023 allotment is the largest in its history. Pritzker’s proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2024 includes $56 million for OSLAD grants.

Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service covering state government. It is distributed to more than 400 newspapers statewide, as well as hundreds of radio and TV stations. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.

Y? WHY NOT!

Words Bring Life or Death

Words have the power to bring life or death to a situation. They build power on how they are utilized, what is conveyed, and how they are received such as in a conversation between friends and family. Words can bring encouragement and life into a person or crush them by bringing discouragement, cruelty, and defeat. Therefore, you must be cautious about the words that flow from your mouth as words can either bring life or death to hope, dream, self-esteem, or relationship.

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it and indulge it will eat its fruit and bear the consequences of their words” Proverbs 18:21 (AMP)

This is a powerful bible verse to embrace in your personal and business life. Think about single words that instill high emotions or responses that can and have made or broken a person: LOVE, HATE, FREE, YES, NO, ALIVE, DIED, SURVIVED, FOUND, DIVORCE, SAVED, LOST, CRASHED, or WON. Those fourteen words can convey a wide range of emotional responses depending on how they’re received or given. They can make a serious impact on someone’s life.

When we have conversations with our family and friends, they can get a little heated, we’re human. The verbal punches below the belt get thrown. It’s sparring time with our words. Everyone wants to express their opinions or the “real” side of the story without pausing to think before we speak. Even at work, we can disagree with a coworker, client, or management. We get careless then words shoot out of our mouths so fast to the next thing we’re saying is “Oh boy, what did I say?” You regret immediately what you said but it’s out there.

So how can our words encourage life? Here are a few simple tips you can implement to watch your words to build people up and not tear them down. Wait or pause before speaking. Don’t be in a rush to give a response back. This reduces anxiety and stress. If we can speak 100-160 words per minute, why don’t we wait a minute or two to contemplate what we are going to say before we do?

Get a grip on your emotions and tongue. If you don’t have control of yourself, angry words flow easily. It takes the same amount of time to say something cruel as it does to say something respectful. “Don’t let any foul words come out of your mouth. Only say what is helpful when it is needed for building up the community so that it benefits those who hear what you say” Ephesians 4:29 (CEB). Control your thoughts. Your mind can race faster than we can speak. It’s already on the next words it wants to say before you finish the words you’re saying. Your mind is looking for ammunition to help your mouth win the fight. No one will be a winner.

Be respectful by listening twice as much as speaking. Use the listening time to understand and get control of your words and actions. Choose your words to encourage others by saying uplifting, supportive, and understanding words. Comments such as “I appreciate you”, “I believe in you”, or “You did a great job” are all encouraging words. Implement these tips daily. Y? Why Not!