Governor Gives Grants for Greenery

By Sean Corbett in News on Oct 30, 2006 7:05PM

The Governor has kept busy this past week doing various ceremonial activities around the state in what the Tribune describes as “a time-honored practice for Illinois politicians as they travel the campaign trail, carrying a pair of faux oversize scissors.” Part of the pre-election package includes grant money for public parks in Illinois.

Rounding up the various newspaper articles, we see $3 million going to parks in central Illinois, $3.4 million going to southern Illinois, and a whopping $26.4 million to northern Illinois. According to the National Network of Libraries of Medicine, 65% of the population of Illinois lives in or around Chicago, and that doesn’t include the western part of northern Illinois. We’ll let you do the math, but man, northern Illinois is kicking the proverbial butts of central and southern Illinois when it comes to population size and landing political favors.

The money is being distributed through a non-partisan state agency, the Open Space Land Acquisition Development Program. News of this amazing, albeit politically motivated, event is popping up throughout Illinois. Just in case you were wondering, Mike Parks is the director of the park district down in Quincy, Illinois, where they are constructing a brand new park with the funds. Somehow we suspect having a name like Parks had something to do with Mike becoming the director of the park district…

Unfortunately you must be a governmental body with the authority to create and manage public parks to apply for that sweet cash. On the other hand, you might find yourself as a contractor being hired to perform the work this money is set aside for, if you’ve got a cousin with political ties, and a few shovels.

Loyola Park, Chicago by librarianc.