Wilmette Park District Wins $600,000 Grant For Hibbard Park Upgrades

WILMETTE, IL — The Wilmette Park District has received a state grant to help cover the cost of upcoming renovations at Hibbard Park.

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources, or IDNR, awarded the district $600,000 through its Open Space Land Acquisition and Development, or OSLAD, program.

"Construction is expected to begin in the spring of 2025 for several park improvements which were identified earlier this year through public input meetings and community surveys," park district staff said in a statement.

The state grant will fund the conversion of two existing tennis courts into six pickleball courts, reflecting growing demand for the sport.

Planned upgrades also include a new picnic shelter, as well as improvements to the north and south baseball fields, with new fencing, dugouts, and ADA-accessible benches and bleachers shaded by new structures, according to district officials.

Gov. JB Pritzker and IDNR officials on Monday announced funding to 100 local park projects, 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.