South Beloit seeks grant and community support for neighborhood park at Nature at the Confluence
Support could garner the South Beloit $550k through IDNR grant
A long-planned park project at Nature at the Confluence in South Beloit is closer to reality as the city prepares to submit a grant application to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR).
The project carries a rough estimate of $1.1 million. If approved, half of the funding would come from a $550,000 Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development (OSLAD) grant.
This neighborhood park would not be the first time and OSLAD-supported project would grace Rockton, Roscoe, and South Beloit. Prior projects include the Roscoe Township community center on Elevator Road in Roscoe Township and Porter Park at the corner of McDonald and Swanson Road in the village of Roscoe.
This is South Beloit’s third application in six years. The current plan was developed in 2021 and approved by the city council. If awarded the grant, the city and Nature at the Confluence would seek vendor bids for different aspects of the project before finalizing a funding agreement with IDNR. Once that agreement is signed, the project must be completed within two years.
Brandon Boggs (no relation to Wade) of Fehr Graham, the engineering firm assisting with the application shared that grant funds are limited statewide and that awards can be competitive. A grant that just misses the mark one cycle could be at the top a different cycle. He added that grant reviewers tend to look favorably on projects where local governments commit to completing portions of the work in-house.
Stateline Mass Transit (SMTD) is also hoping to contribute to the project. It was awarded a grant for a station and saw the neighborhood park as a key stop to install a station in South Beloit.
As part of the application process, the city is required to hold public meetings and passed a resolution committing to its share of funding. A public meeting was held on September 11th. Another meeting will be held at Nature at the Confluence on Wednesday, September 17th from 3:00 pm-4:00 pm.
Residents, businesses, and community groups are encouraged to submit letters of support by September 20. The city hopes to gather 50 letters of support according Ms. Sonya Hoppes, city administrator of South Beloit. She did share that letters are coming in and city staff would happy to assist any residents or organizations looking to submit a support letter.
Templates are available through City Hall, and letters may be emailed to City Administrator Hoppes, to Boggs, or delivered directly to City Hall. Or you can find the templates for businesses and organizations below the fold.
