Veterans’ Memorial Pool in Springfield will be demolished and replaced with a large, modern all-ages splash pad, under a $600,000 grant from the State of Illinois. Governor JB Pritzker made the announcement Wednesday at Gietl Park, where the outdoor public pool is located.
The locker room facility adjacent to the pool will also be torn down, and new fencing, gates, walkways, LED lighting, seating, and picnic tables will be added.
After initially indicating the pool would not open this summer, officials now say there will be one more season of swimming there before demolition gets underway.
Officials hope to have the renovations completed sometime during the summer of 2024.
The grant for the Springfield Park District is part of a record $60 million in grants this spring under the Open Space Land Acquisition and Development grant program, referred to as OSLAD.
A further review of what money was granted to where across the state can be read here, and found below.
FY2023 OSLAD grant awards
Alexander County
City of Cairo – $599,500*
Bond County
Kingsbury Park District – $600,000*
Bureau County
Village of Neponset – $596,821*
Village of Tiskilwa – $600,000*
Calhoun County
Village of Hardin – $600,000
Carroll County
City of Mount Carroll – $371,000
Champaign County
Champaign County Forest Preserve District – $400,000
Urbana Park District – $550,000
Clay County
Flora – $299,557
Louisville – $581,881
Cook County
Arlington Heights Park District – $600,000
Chicago Heights Park District – $600,000*
City of Calumet City – $600,000
City of Chicago – $407,269
Forest Preserve District of Cook County – $428,750
Mount Prospect Park District – $600,000
Norridge Park District – $600,000
Palatine Park District – $499,900
Park District of Forest Park – $424,200
Streamwood Park District – $467,081
Worth Park District – $325,000
Village of Brookfield – $600,000
Hickory Hills Park District – $241,700
Skokie Park District – $357,000
Northbrook Park District – $600,000
Westchester Park District – $600,000
Niles Park District – $600,000
City of Palos Heights – $600,000
Morton Grove Park District – $398,000
Oak Lawn Park District – $600,000
Rolling Meadows Park District – $600,000
Lemont Park District – $600,000
McCook Park District – $231,628
Park Ridge Park District – $600,000
Crawford County
Oblong – $598,480.90
DeKalb County
DeKalb Park District – $507,000
Genoa Park District – $102,800
DuPage County
Elmhurst Park District – $340,300
Woodridge Park District – $600,000
Wood Dale Park District – $600,000
Carol Stream Park District – $400,000
Bloomingdale Park District – $300,000
Addison Park District – $600,000
Lombard Park District – $600,000
Downers Grove Park District – $425,000
Itasca Park District – $600,000
Winfield Park District – $600,000
Hanover Park Park District – $600,000
Fox Valley Park District – $600,000
Darien Park District – $600,000
St. Charles Park District – $600,000
Effingham County
Village of Montrose – $600,000*
Greene County
City of White Hall – $242,500
Grundy County
City of Morris – $600,000
Hancock County
Village of Plymouth – $600,000*
Henry County
City of Kewanee – $600,000*
Jasper County
Willow Hill – $372,195.20
Jefferson County
City of Mount Vernon – $429,189*
Jersey County
City of Jerseyville – $600,000
Kane County
Batavia Park District – $600,000
Forest Preserve District of Kane County – $600,000
Hampshire Township Park District – $600,000
Village of South Elgin – $600,000
Geneva Park District – $600,000
Kankakee County
City of Kankakee – $600,000*
Kankakee River Valley Forest Preserve District – $207,750
Kendall County
Kendall County Forest Preserve District – $600
Knox County
City of Galesburg – $224,825
Lake County
Lake County Forest Preserve District – $600,000
Mundelein Park and Recreation District – $400,000
Park District of Highland Park – $600,000
Wauconda Park District – $473,500
Zion – $600,000
Township of Antioch – $599,822.50
Village of Libertyville – $469,000
Deerfield Park District – $600,000
Vernon Hills Park District – $566,465
Village of Round Lake Beach – $580,915
Buffalo Grove Park District – $600,000
Grant Township Highway – $600,000
LaSalle County
City of Marseilles – $600,000*
City of Ottawa – $506,000
Macon County
Macon County Conservation District – $300,000
Macoupin County
City of Benld – $600,000*
Village of Palmyra – $600,000
Madison County
Madison County Mass Transit District – $388,000
Mason County
Havana Park District – $544,121*
McDonough County
Village of Industry – $600,000*
McHenry County
McHenry County Conservation District – $200,000
City of Woodstock – $600,000
Crystal Lake Park District – $600,000
Village of Richmond – $137,390
Village of Algonquin – $600,000
Menard County
City of Petersburg – $173,355
Mercer County
City of Aledo – $600,000
Monroe County
City of Columbia – $600,000
Ogle County
Village of Davis Junction – $600,000
Peoria County
Pleasure Driveway Park District of Peoria – $255,000*
Pleasure Driveway Park District of Peoria – $600,000*
Chillicothe Park District – $600,000
Perry County
City of Pinckneyville – $222,600*
Pike County
Village of Milton – $599,000*
Pulaski County
Village of Olmsted – $600,000*
Rock Island County
City of Rock Island – $347,500*
Sangamon County
Springfield Park District – $600,000*
Scott County
Village of Bluffs – $600,000*
St. Clair County
City of O’Fallon – $600,000
Will County
Village of Monee – $600,000
Plainfield Township Park District – $377,500
Village of Plainfield – $284,500
Village of University Park – $200,000
New Lenox Community Park District – $600,000
Village of Shorewood – $600,000
Channahon Park District – $300,000
Oswegoland Park District – $600,000
Winnebago County
Village of New Milford – $600,000*
Village of Machesney Park – $506,150
Woodford County
City of Eureka – $600,000
