Northbrook gets $600K state grant to upgrade Williamsburg Square Park
A project to refurbish Northbrook's Williamsburg Square Park is among the successful applications that gained funding from this year's Illinois Department of Natural Resources Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development grants.
Out of an overall budget of $60 million the department granted to 118 park districts, municipalities and forest preserve agencies, the Northbrook Park District will receive the maximum allotment of $600,000.
The grant was awarded for work to be done at Williamsburg Square Park, 200 Lee Road, just across Rudolph Drive southeast of Northbrook Court. It will help the Northbrook Park District renovate the 8.56-acre neighborhood park's playground and walking path, and its 30-year-old basketball and tennis courts. The project also will provide for pickleball courts and a picnic shelter.
"We're thrilled to get it," said Northbrook Park District Executive Director Molly Hamer. "It's a matching grant program. It's fabulous, because it's such a great way to bolster the local economy."
The budget for the improvements is more than $1.4 million. In addition to the grant money it will be funded from surplus park district operating funds transferred from the district's capital budget, the park district said. No tax increase is involved.
"We're very excited to be able to offer this type of renovation to the community with the assistance of state funds. Those state funds always allow us to stretch our local resources," said Chris Leiner, the park district's director of Parks & Properties.
He said the Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development Program is funded by real estate state transfer taxes.
"It's a nice way for the state to return money to local government," Leiner said.
The Northbrook Park District held three open houses to solicit public input for the Williamsburg Square Park Improvements Project before submitting the grant proposal in September 2022. Successful recipients have 24 months to complete the project.
According to information on the Northbrook Park District website, construction will take between four to six months and is slated to begin in 2024. The park district will provide updates on the project at nbparks.org/projects.
The park opened in September 1974 after the Homart Development Corporation built Northbrook Court and donated and developed the adjacent park, for $750,000, and turned it over to the Northbrook Park District.
In 1999, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources provided a $125,000 grant for playground renovations and equipment.
Williamsburg Square Park is among several Northbrook Park District improvement projects currently in different phases, in concert with a 2021 Master Plan update.
Some, such as a renovation of Oaklane Park, 636 Berglund Place, were put on pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2022 Oaklane also received an Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development grant, of $400,000.
"I wouldn't call it luck," Hamer said.
She said staff and the board of commissioners identify projects that are more likely to meet the criteria for a successful bid, and are skilled at knowing timelines for applying for alternative funding sources.
"We are intentional about the timing of applying for these," Hamer said. "We keep our eye on these grant open windows."