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PROPOSED GRANT AWARD AMENDMENT
Department: Department of Resource Management
Grantee: Forest Preserves of Cook County (the “Forest Preserves”)
Grantor: Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (“DCEO”), Springfield, Illinois
Request: Authorization to extend grant agreement
Purpose: Comprehensive infrastructure upgrades and restoration of the Palos and Sag Valley trail systems in southwest Cook County
Supplemental Grant Amount: N/A
Grant Period: 10/1/2023 - 9/30/2025
Extension Period: 10/1/2025 - 9/30/2026, with two (2) one-year extension options to be exercised at the discretion of the General Superintendent
Fiscal Impact: N/A. The project will be conducted at no direct cost to the Forest Preserves, which may provide in-kind staff support for the planning, implementation, and monitoring of the project. There is no additional cost associated with the extension.
Accounts: Grant Account 51010.521314 and 51010.521444
Date of Previous Board Authorization for Grant: 12/12/2023
Previous Grant Amount: $10,000,000.00
Concurrences: The Chief Financial Officer has approved this item. Final grant amendment is subject to legal review and approval.
District(s): 17
Summary: On 12/12/2023, the Forest Preserves of Cook County Board of Commissioners approved the acceptance of grant funding from DCEO as part of the 2019 Rebuild Illinois Capital Plan (as reappropriated) to design and reconstruct portions of the Palos and Sag Valley unpaved trail systems (Board Item No. 23-0610). A time extension of the grant agreement until 9/30/2026 is being requested to allow for completion of the project. The Forest Preserves also seeks authorization to execute up to two (2) additional one-year extensions of the grant term, as needed, to account for any unforeseen delays in construction or unfavorable seasonal weather conditions.
Trail improvements include erosion mitigation and accessibility upgrades, installation of sustainable drainage structures, and improved wayfinding markers. The improved trail system will enhance public safety and navigability from key destinations near the Swallow Cliff Woods and Red Gate Woods priority areas, connecting to recreational amenities such as the Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center, Camp Bullfrog, the Swallow Cliff stairs, and area lakes. The project also features approximately 1,100 acres of ecological restoration to bolster the sustainability of the rehabilitated trails, open sight lines, and improve the quality of the nature experience for trail users. To date, approximately 860 acres of brush clearing have been completed.
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