Oak Brook Park District Awarded $400,000 Oslad Grant

The Oak Brook Park District was awarded $400,000 and is one of 87 agencies to benefit from the $30 million Illinois has available in the Open Space Land Acquisition and Development [OSLAD] grant fund as announced by Gov. Pritzker on Friday, July 8, 2022.  The Oak Brook Park District will allocate the grant funds to a shelter and amphitheater space, a fitness challenge course for all ages, table games including ping pong, chess, and checkers, as well as a bocce court. An accessible pathway will accompany the amphitheater, and an accessible fishing area will be created along Ginger Creek. 

The vision for this property began in 2018 with the help of the Oak Brook community. Voters overwhelmingly approved a referendum that allowed the Park District to issue $17.9 million in bonds to purchase and improve the property at the November 6, 2018 election.

In July 2020, the OBPD began Phase I construction at the Central Park North Athletic Fields site. The Open Space Project, funded in part by an Open Space and Land Acquisition and Development (OSLAD) Grant, included two full-size illuminated soccer fields, fitness equipment, a bags game court, looped walking trails, totem plaza, basketball courts, and two picnic shelters. The park opened for use in the Spring of 2021.

Earlier this year, the Park District was also granted $480,000 from the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO). The Oak Brook Park District will allocate the grant funds to build a restroom and concessions building at the Central Park North Athletic Fields. Construction of the restroom, concessions, and storage building must be completed by March of 2023.

Executive Director, Laure Kosey said, “We couldn’t be more excited to begin Phase II of this long-term vision for the development and improvement of Central Park! We are so thankful that we will be able to enhance and add to our recreational opportunities near the North Athletic Fields, with both the DCEO and OSLAD grants.”


Questions? 

Please contact Marketing & Communications Manager Haley Colucci, at (630) 740-7936.