Libertyville receives grant to expand Butler Lake Park

On March 1, the governor's office announced that an Open Space Land Acquisition and Development grant request for a Libertyville park expansion in the current Butler Lake Park area has been approved in the amount of $469,000.

The park is tentatively planned to be located across from the old band shell facility.

"The park will greatly expand on the playground options in the area and also include equipment for all ages," Parks and Recreation Committee Chair Pete Garrity said.

The grant application needed to be processed on a tight timeline, and village staff worked with the Parks and Recreation Committee on an expedited basis to land the grant.

"It was a collaborative effort and it paid off for the residents of the village," Garrity said.

This grant is on top of another OSLAD grant that was received last year in the amount of $400,000 for a park expansion at Nicholas Dowden. Work on the Dowden project is planned to start this summer.

Of particular note is that a dedicated pickleball area with multiple courts is planned as part of the expansion. Garrity noted that the Parks and Recreation Committee listened to resident requests and made sure to include dedicated courts in the plan.

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