ORY GARDEN PLOTS PARKING LOT NOW OPEN
The renovated parking lot at the Ron Ory Community Garden Plots is now open to the public, Naperville Park District officials said.
Located at 811 S. West St., the lot’s permeable pavers replace gravel, allowing for improved drainage, water quality and better accessibility for people visiting the gardens and nearby Knoch and Sportsman’s parks, a park district news release said.
The pavers were part of an improvement plan that also included more raised planting beds to better accommodate gardeners with varying needs.
Funding for the project was supplemented with grants from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and DuPage County’s Water Quality Improvement Program, the release said.
FISHING DERBY OFFERS PRIZES FOR BIGGEST CATCHES
Anglers 16 years and older can compete for Bass Pro Shop gift cards during the Adult Fishing Derby to be held Saturday, May 16, at the Hidden Lakes Trout Farm at Hidden Oaks Preserve, 419 Trout Farm Road, Bolingbrook.
Two sessions will be offered. The first will be from 7 to 9 a.m. and the second from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Participants can sign up for one or both sessions.
Bass Pro gift cards will be given for the biggest catch, with first-, second- and third-place being awarded, a news release said.
Entry fee is $5. The Forest Preserve District of Will County will provide a complimentary container of nightcrawlers.
Registration is required at 815-722-4121 or online at www.reconnectwithnature.org. Registration will be available the day of the derby if openings remain.
ACCELERATE CLIMATE CONTEST WINNERS NAMED
Several area students took part in Accelerate Climate Solution’s third annual Building Leadership Around Sustainable Transformation, or BLAST, competition, which encourages students to create solutions to address climate change and sustainability.
First place in the competition and a $1,000 prize went to Ian Wang, of Naperville, and Oscar Lee, of Northbrook, who are students at the Illinois Math and Science Academy.
Their project, OPIS: Oil Pipeline Impact Simulation, created an interactive app that simulates the environmental and economic impacts of oil pipeline spills, a news release from Naperville-based Accelerate Climate said. Their app took complex data and transformed it into a user-friendly tool for the public and policymakers.
In second place and earning $500 were Oyuka Battulga, Stephanie Jiang and Sunny Friedman from Glenbrook South High School. Third-place winners of a $250 prize were Talia Robinson and Andrew Sandoval from Romeoville High School.
An honorable mention prize of $100 went to a Illinois Math and Science Academy team consisting of Eric Chen and Nikhil Baman, of Dunlap, Isaac Lee, of Champaign, and Matthew Park, of Northbrook. They plan to partner with Naperville Park District on their project, RideCrew, which creates a carpool app to make getting around easier while reducing greenhouse gas emissions, the release said.
