Downers Grove Park District Awarded Environmental Grant from ComEd, Openlands to Support Local Open-Space Project
Park District has received over $5,000 in funding through the annual ComEd Green Region Program
ComEd and Openlands announced today that the Downers Grove Park District is one of 26 public agencies from northern Illinois to receive an environmental grant from the organizations through the annual ComEd Green Region Program. The Downers Grove Park District has received over $5,000 to convert the Doerhoffer and Whitlock Park detention basins into native vegetation. The project includes initial herbicide applications and the installation of native seed, native plugs, and interpretive signage. It also eliminates mowing, and provides enhanced habitat, improved water quality, educational opportunities, and the opportunity for passive park uses.
Since the inception of the Green Region Program in 2013, ComEd has awarded more than $1.3 million to municipalities across northern Illinois to help fund their open-space projects. ComEd provides the funding, and Openlands, one of the oldest metropolitan conservation organizations in the nation, administers the grants to local communities.
“Together with our partners at Openlands, we are proud to support organizations that are making meaningful differences to restore and enhance natural habitats and biodiversity,” said Melissa Washington, Vice President of Governmental and External Affairs at ComEd. “It’s the perfect balance of meeting our future energy needs and powering a brighter and more sustainable future for our customers and the communities we serve.”
Due to a recent decline in pollinators throughout northern Illinois, and strong interest in pollinator conservation, the 2019 Green Region projects again focus on advancing and protecting the region’s essential pollinator species. Earlier this year, public agencies from across communities that ComEd serves submitted grant applications, which were then reviewed by an advisory committee composed of county government officials and members of the region's conservation community.
“The ComEd Green Region Program is an important commitment to sustainability across northern Illinois and a commitment to providing residents with access to natural open spaces,” said Jerry Adelmann, President and CEO of Openlands. “Over the last seven years, we’ve seen how the Green Region Program has helped communities enhance many parks and trails for learning, enjoyment, and supporting wildlife, and the support from ComEd has been vital. We extend our gratitude to ComEd, and we want to thank the many partners who have implemented these projects across the region.”
Additional information on the ComEd Green Region Program can be found at Openlands.org/GreenRegion.
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ComEd is a unit of Chicago-based Exelon Corporation (NYSE: EXC), a Fortune 100 energy company with approximately 10 million electricity and natural gas customers – the largest number of customers in the U.S. ComEd powers the lives of more than 4 million customers across northern Illinois, or 70 percent of the state’s population. For more information visit ComEd.com and connect with the company on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
Founded in 1963, Openlands is one of the nation’s oldest and most successful metropolitan conservation organizations, having helped secure, protect, and provide public access to more than 55,000 acres of land for parks, forest preserves, wildlife refuges, land and water greenway corridors, and urban gardens. For more information, please visit openlands.org.