The City of Elgin and the Streamwood Park District each received a $600,000 Open Space Land Acquisition and Development grant to help support ongoing improvements to two local parks, thanks to strong support from State Senator Cristina Castro.

“Wing Park and Hoosier Grove Park are staples within our communities,” said Castro (D-Elgin). “This funding will help the parks grow, rebuild and improve the community, while bringing in more visitors each year.”

For the third year in a row, Castro supported funding for economically distressed communities, resulting in 29 underserved locations receiving $17.3 million in grants from the Open Space Land Acquisition and Development, or OSLAD, program.

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 has become one of the most popular grant programs in Illinois. Since its establishment, OSLAD has awarded $640 million for park projects throughout Illinois.

More than $55 million in state grants are being awarded for 100 local park projects throughout Illinois to help communities acquire land and develop recreational opportunities.

Visit the Illinois Department of Natural Resources website for more information on the OSLAD grants.