The village of Lake Zurich got a state grant for more than $600,000 to help pay for improvements to its iconic Paulus Park.
There is a project in the works that will renovate the greenspace, including improving the splash pad at the lakeside park, rehabilitating the shoreline, and adding a new bandshell, game tables and baggo courts, among other improvements.
“This State grant is a fantastic way to enhance the quality of our public open spaces in Lake Zurich and we are grateful for the resident engagement we received during our outreach events,” mayor Tom Poynton said in a village news release when the grant award was announced.
Village leaders applied for the funding in late August and learned Feb. 1 the village was awarded $600,000. The total cost of the project is estimated at $2.4 million but could go as high as $3.8 million, according to village documents. Even with the grant, construction will require matching funds from Lake Zurich.
Paulus Park is on Rand Road in the village. The project is expected to take years to complete.
Lake Zurich had already been awarded $400,000 through the Illinois Department of Natural Resources’ Open Spaces Land Acquisition and Development program, and that helped pay for phase one of the improvements to the 41-acre park and was completed in 2022.
OSLAD funds local parks and open spaces projects.
The Paulus Park project is now in its second phase. The project has broad support from village trustees, and through a series of public meetings residents have helped to direct the project’s priorities.
“Clearly, the people of Lake Zurich have helped shape an impressive grant application that is going to have positive impacts on the community for decades to come,” Poynton stated in the release.
With the grant money in hand, the village will look to hire design firms and begin bidding out the project for construction, officials explained.
Jesse Wright is a freelancer.