Bicentennial Riverfront Park Will be Undergoing a Complete Redevelopment

There were some tears shed when the Bicentennial Riverfront Park lost its playground due to it being deemed unsafe back in early 2011.

Now the park will be getting not only its playground back, but plenty of other new features with the announcement of the Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development program (OSLAD).

Yorkville received $400,000 from the program, which will go towards developing Riverfront Park alongside the Fox River.

READ: Yorkville Named a "Playful City USA"

Governor Pat Quinn announced a total of $15.3 million investment to local parks throughout Illinois.

“Whether you are in a big city or small town, local parks let families across Illinois enjoy nature and spend time together,” Governor Quinn said in a release. “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 improvements Bicentennial Riverfront Park will see include a canoe beach, fishing pier, boat launch, playground, shared-use path, woodland restoration with nature/interpretive trail, lighting, and improvements to the existing brick walkway and shelter.

The OSLAD program, administered by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) is funded through the Real Estate Transfer Tax, which is part of every property sale in Illinois. Grant recipients are responsible for contributing at least half of the total project cost.

The $15.3 million awarded statewide this year, combined with the grantees’ matching funds, will result in more than $30.6 million of local park development projects and land acquisition in Illinois.