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TO: Mayor Richard C. Irvin
FROM: Trevor Dick, Director of Development Strategy, Julie Frankino, Grant Writer,
Gio Santana, Superintendent of Parks & Recreation
DATE: August 10th, 2023
SUBJECT:
A Resolution authorizing City staff to apply for a $600,000 grant from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources for improvements at Garfield Park.
PURPOSE:
The City of Aurora is seeking to utilize this grant opportunity to renovate and modernize the City of Aurora's Garfield Park on the near east side of the Downtown. This Legacy Park is an important, yet outdated neighborhood space that serves a densely populated area.
BACKGROUND:
Garfield Park is one of the City's five Legacy Parks, which also includes Wilder Park & McCarty Park both of which have been beneficiaries of upgrades the last three years, with Wilder Park specifically being a recipient of a recent OSLAD award. Garfield Park has not received any significant upgrades in recent years. During a recent meeting, we discussed the opportunity to apply for matching grant dollars through the Illinois Department of Transportation's Open Space Land Acquisition and Development (OSLAD) program. Working with our Community Services team, we are hosting a series of meetings for community input on park improvements. Based on the City's interest in this opportunity, along with much needed improvements to a prioritized the park in the near east side were identified and will be detailed in the application, which is due August 31, 2023.
DISCUSSION:
Garfield Park currently consists of a mix of recreational activities including a playground, baseball fields, a shelter and a gravel parking lot The proposed improvements, include but are not limited to a new playground, inclusive play equipment, a splash pad, pickle ball courts, street soccer courts, combination turf fields as well an ADA accessible field along with additional parking, a new walking path, bathrooms, a new shelter, signage and other site furnishings. The C...
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