Oak Park Gets $763K for Green Infrastructure

The Village Board on Monday approved an agreement with the State of Illinois to receive a $763,327 Green Infrastructure Grant for new permeable pavements through the state’s Green Alley Program. 

Oak Park Village Manager Cara Pavlicek told board members Monday that the grant will pay for 75 percent of a project, which includes installation of permeable pavers in nine village alleys. 

The grants are designed to support projects that reduce the amount of pollution running into Illinois waterways from stormwater sources and reduce the risk of localized flooding, according to a news release from Gov. Quinn. 

River Forest received about $480,000 to fund improvements in a northwest area of the village at its Oct. 14 board meeting.

The grants could be used for any stormwater management project with the goal of preserving or restoring natural hydrology is known as “green infrastructure,” according to the release, including methods of using soil and vegetation for the preservation and restoration of natural landscape features, such as forests, floodplains, headwaters and wetlands.

Projects that could also be considered green infrastructure consist of permeable pavement, rain gardens and barrels, downspouts and bioswales, according to the release.