The City of Galesburg was awarded $500,000 from the Open Space Land Acquisition and Development (OSLAD) grants given to 111 local park projects across Illinois. This is the 37th year of the OSLAD Grant program, administered by the Illinois Department of National Resources, which assists local government agencies in the acquisition or development of land for creating or expanding outdoor recreational opportunities throughout communities in Illinois. The City of Galesburg plans to use the $500,000 towards developing a new park on the southwest side of the city.
With the assistance of the OSLAD Grant award, the City of Galesburg plans to develop a park at 652 W. Second Street, which is the location of the former Cooke Elementary School. There has been strong public support for the addition of a park in this area, and the City acquired the property in December 2022 to pursue the development of a park at this location.
The total project cost is approximately $1,000,000, with the OSLAD grant providing $500,000, or 50% of the cost. The proposed park development includes the creation of a trailhead, playground, picnic shelter, pathway for accessibility, parking area, restroom, trees, and other native plants.
“This project will benefit the community through the addition of a park with a playground on the southwest side of the city, providing another outdoor recreational amenity for our citizens to enjoy,” said Elizabeth Varner, Director of Parks & Recreation. “We are extremely excited and grateful to have been awarded the OSLAD Grant, which makes the project possible for our community.”
The City of Galesburg also received OSLAD Grants in 2022 and 2023 for improvements to H.T. Custer Park and Lancaster Park. Those projects are underway, with the parking area, walking path, and new playground completed at H.T. Custer this past fall and the new shelter and restroom slated to be completed in the spring. The Lancaster Park improvements are in the design phase. Construction is expected to begin in the spring and will include a shelter, parking area, accessible path, new playground, and half basketball court.
Residents can view park locations on the Galesburg parks map, found on the city’s website. This newest park development at the former Cooke School property is located one block east of S. Henderson Street and will be a wonderful addition to the neighborhood. The anticipated development plan is illustrated below, which will be further defined as the project proceeds through the design and construction phases.
