Naperville Park District was awarded a $600,000 state grant to help fund $4.25 million in improvements at Nike Sports Complex.
Planned upgrades and new amenities — selected after extensive input was provided by Naperville residents — include the installation of synthetic turf on three existing ball fields, playground renovations, a challenge course area, a 10-foot-wide asphalt loop trail and a shelter overlooking the cricket field.
The grant money comes from the Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development program, administered through the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, which provides matching funding for park and forest preserve district conservation projects throughout the state.
Since its establishment in 1986, the OSLAD program has awarded $675 million to projects throughout the state, according to an IDNR news release. In this most recent round of funding, $36 million was awarded to 67 local park projects to “help communities acquire land and develop recreational opportunities,” the release said.
“It’s been a tremendous program. It’s certainly benefitted Naperville with the park district being able to bring on various projects and add amenities throughout the community,” park district Executive Director Brad Wilson said. “We’re excited to be able to receive the grant to help with fast-tracking and bringing improvements to the Nike Sports Complex.”
Other Naperville parks that have benefited from the OSLAD grant in the past include Knoch Knolls Park, Meadow Glens Park and Seager Park. To date, the Naperville Park District has been awarded 14 OSLAD grants to help fund various projects.
In addition to the grant, the site improvements will also benefit from a $200,000 donation from Naperville Little League Baseball, which is specifically earmarked for the cost of replacing the grass ball fields with synthetic turf.
Construction on the planned improvements is expected to begin late this year and continue into 2028, officials said.
The Nike complex improvements were initially included in the park district’s proposed $135 million bond sale referendum, but removed after Naperville residents expressed less interest in making changes to the facility compared to other proposed referendum projects.
Now, the district is pursuing a $120 million bond sale for a new Frontier Sports Complex activity center and the expansion of wooded trails in Naperville. Residents will vote on the referendum question in March.
cstein@chicagotribune.com
