Governor Pat Quinn announced on May 11 the awarding of $15.3 million for the FY 2013 Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development (OSLAD) grants, which included a $400,000 grant for the Naperville Park District for a nature center and improvements at Knoch Knolls Park.
“This grant will help fund the development of the District’s first staffed nature center at 224-acre Knoch Knolls Park, which is our largest and most diverse natural area,” said Executive Director Ray McGury. Director McGury attended the Governor’s press conference in Oak Park on May 11.
In a May 11 press release issued by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Governor Quinn commented, “Whether you are in a big city or small town, local parks let families across Illinois enjoy nature and spend time together. These projects improve parks throughout the state and expand green space in dozens of communities, creating jobs and making our state a better place to live and work.”
The Naperville Park District began the design of the future nature center in 2012 and was awarded a High Performance Green Building grant from the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation for LEED Platinum building design of the building. Sustainable features will include photovoltaic panels to provide renewable energy, a partial green roof, a visible cistern that will reuse rainwater, and a highly efficient HVAC system.
One of the unique features of Knoch Knolls Park is the confluence of the East and West Branches of the DuPage River. The nature center will be situated overlooking the existing pond and the West Branch of the DuPage River, and the primary theme of its exhibits will be “Celebrating Water.”
In addition to the nature center, the OSLAD project at Knoch Knolls will include expanding the popular disc golf course from 9 to 18 holes, improving the canoe launch, adding multi-use trails, a nature-themed playground and a pervious paving parking lot, and restoring shoreline and prairie habitat.
The community is invited to celebrate the groundbreaking of the new project this summer. The date of the groundbreaking will be announced in the near future.
Knoch Knolls Park is located at 336 Knoch Knolls Road. Project information and conceptual plans for the nature center and other improvements may be viewed athttp://www.napervilleparks.org/parks/187-knoch-knolls.
