Lincolnwood's Largest Park Awarded State Grant To Fund Renovations

LINCOLNWOOD, IL — The village of Lincolnwood has been awarded a $600,000 grant to fund planned upgrades at Proesel Park, the village's largest, officials announced this week.

Awarded through the Open Space Land Acquisition and Development, or OSLAD, program by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, IDNR, the grant will go toward a series of park improvements set to begin in 2025 and conclude in 2026.

Village President Jesal Patel described the grant as an important investment in the community.

“Lincolnwood is thrilled to receive the OSLAD grant for Proesel Park, a vital step in enhancing our community’s green spaces and recreational opportunities,” Patel said in a statement.

“This funding will enable us to create a more vibrant and accessible park that all residents can enjoy," he said. "Together, we are committed to fostering a healthier community, promoting outdoor activity, and preserving our natural resources for future generations.”

The project will include the addition of a universally accessible playground, as well as updates to the park’s tennis and basketball courts, inline skate court and sand volleyball courts.

The pedestrian paths on the south side of the park will also be renovated to improve accessibility and usability for visitors, officials said.

“We are excited to address the needs within the park to provide the community with the most exceptional recreational amenities and provide an accessible playground where children of all abilities can play together,” said Karen Hawk, Lincolnwood's parks and recreation director.

Gov. JB Pritzker and IDNR officials on Monday announced funding to 100 local park projects, including the Proesel Park improvements, with $17.3 million set aside for economically distressed jurisdictions.

“Since I became Governor, it’s been my mission to build stronger, healthier communities across Illinois,” Pritzker said in a statement. “Through the OSLAD program, we’re bringing that vision to life by awarding over $55.2 million to local park projects, expanding green spaces and creating new recreational opportunities for all.”

The OSLAD program is a long-standing state initiative aimed at supporting local governments in acquiring land and developing public parks and outdoor recreational spaces.

Established by the state legislature in 1986, the program provides cost-sharing grants to communities, covering up to 50 percent of project costs — or up to 100 percent in economically distressed communities.

“This round of OSLAD grants represents long-awaited projects from the smallest villages of rural Illinois to Chicago and the suburbs,” said IDNR Director Natalie Phelps Finnie. “There is an impressive amount of work, creativity, and ambition that goes into planning new outdoor recreational facilities, and I’m delighted the Illinois Department of Natural Resources can play a small part in helping communities thrive.”

Funded through a portion of the state’s Real Estate Transfer Tax, the OSLAD program is one of the state's most popular grant programs, according to the governor's office. It has awarded $640 million for park projects since its inception. Last year, the program awarded nearly $60 million.