It’s been three years in the making, but work to further develop Aurora’s Jericho Lake Park can begin again.
State officials have told Fox Valley Park District officials that a $400,000 grant from the Open Space Land Acquisition and Development, or OSLAD, program has been released. They actually released the funds in late 2016.
The district got the grant in 2013, but Gov. Bruce Rauner froze some grant funds, including OSLAD, as part of the budget situation in Springfield. The freeze affected millions of dollars in grants across the state. But state officials have been telling local officials in the past few months that OSLAD grants made previously are being freed up.
After being awarded the grant, the Park District developed a plan for Jericho Lake Park and solicited bids. At the December 2014 park board meeting, the board approved a contract with Wilkinson Excavating in the amount of $1.14 million for the improvements to Jericho Lake Park.
Scheduled improvements include a new, reservable shelter and overlook at the northern edge of the lake; new restrooms; a second new shelter where the current one stands; and a new, permanent dock and floating pier, built adjacent to the current boat ramp.
Since the grant money and the project were frozen for three years, construction costs have risen, and district officials had to make adjustments to keep the project costs within the original budgeted amount, retain Wilkinson as the contractor and proceed with the construction of the project quickly.
District staff and engineering consultant WBK Engineering recommended changing the parking lot from planned permeable pavers to asphalt. The change in the contract makes it $66,148 less than it was originally.
The Illinois Department of Natural Resources, which administers the OSLAD grants, is OK with the change, park officials said. The revision also includes a rain garden and bio-swale system to complement the asphalt parking lot. That should provide comparable water quality and stormwater management, officials said.
The park board this week approved the change order.
