The Park District of Highland Park Board of Commissioners signed an agreement with the Lake County Stormwater Management Commission (SMC) to receive a portion of 2019 Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (lllinois EPA) 319 grant funding to enhance the shoreline of the north pond located at the Community Park at the Recreation Center of Highland Park.  Funding for this project is provided, in part, by the Illinois EPA through Section 319 of the Clean Water Act.  The project will include planting of native plants and minor regrading to improve water quality, contribute to flood reduction and enhance wildlife habitat in keeping with the conservation values of the property.

The total cost for the project is $289,344.86, half of which is reimbursable by the grant upon project completion and approval from the Illinois EPA.  The SMC will administer the Illinois EPA 319 grant funds in the amount of $144,672.73 and will partner with the Park District to complete the project to include:

• Enhancing 1,300 linear feet of vegetative swales
• Restoring 2,243 linear feet of shoreline with native plants
• Installing 2.2 acres of riparian native buffer to stabilize the site for water quality improvements

The Park District match for the project is budgeted in the 2020 Park capital budget. Park District staff will incorporate the design, engineering and implementation of this work into the overall community park project. According to the agreement, the Park District has two years from the date of the agreement to complete the project.  

In the coming weeks, work will begin to design the project and incorporate it into the overall master plan of the park which already features an additional 50 acres of native plantings designed to create new wetland savanna and grassland habitat.