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by Peter M. Murphy
IAPD General Counsel

Members of the Illinois General Assembly introduced more than 1,700 pieces of legislation this year covering a broad spectrum of issues.

In an election year there are no shortages of "good" ideas.

In the listing of bills that follows you will find issues relating directly to Illinois park districts and forest preserves as local units of government.

There have been a number of new bills introduced which seek to take away the authority that we worked so hard for last year in order to permit the issuance of a limited amount of non-referendum debt in those counties subject to the tax cap.

In addition, legislation has been introduced to change the allocation made under the OSLAD program by providing that money goes to counties and the city of Chicago for open space acquisition instead of through the IDNR for matching grants.

Bills of particular interest to you would also include the effort to put a question on the November 8, 1996, ballot regarding a constitutional amendment that would limit the ability of the General Assembly to pass unfunded state mandates. This constitutional amendment SJRCA 76 must pass both the House and Senate by May 3 if it is to be placed on the ballot.

In addition, you should watch the progress of House Bill 3057 which contains a number of provisions which will assist park districts in developing public/private sector partnerships and clarify the ability of park district police jurisdictional boundaries. Also, House Bill 3064 raises the threshold from $1,000 to $2,500 for those disbursements required to be published in the statement of receipts and disbursements at year end.

Senate Bill 1674 amends the Child Labor Law to permit park districts to hire 14- and 15-year-olds and note that House Bill 2818 would call for a statewide advisory referendum on the consolidation of special districts and that there are a number of bills introduced which impact forest preserve districts.

If you would like up-to-date information on any of the following bills, please
do not hesitate to contact me at the IAPD offices.

I look forward to seeing you at the Legislative Conference on April 16 and 17.

House Bill 682 (Watson)
Permits a park district to sell property to a not-for-profit organization if such property is held for park and recreation purposes for youth.

House Bill 2520 (Salvi et al)
Amends Local Government Debt Reform Act and Property Tax Extension Limitation Law in the Property Tax Code; provides that on/after this act's effective date, taxing districts subject to the law may not issue bonds without first obtaining approval at referendum; governing body of the taxing district must initiate the referendum by resolution; other related definitions and exclusions.

House Bill 2529 (Saltsman)
Amends Counties Code; provides that the corporate authorities of a county may adopt an ordinance that exempts pleasure driveways or park districts with populations over 100,000 from the county's power to regulate and restrict the location
of the driveways or park districts.

House Bill 2535 (Skinner)
Amends Property Tax Extension Limit

10 * Illinois Parks & Recreation * March/April 1996

Law of Property Tax Code; requires that in such districts, subject to provisions of the law, after Oct. 18, 1995, before an appointed board may issue any bonds, its meeting agenda shall disclose that a vote will be taken to authorize bond issuance, specifying the amount of the bonds; other related deadline requirements.

House Bill 2618 (Winters)
Amends Property Tax Code and Clerks of Courts Act; allows tax objections to be filed as class actions; allows filing fees stated for tax objections to apply regardless of the number of parcels involved or the number of taxpayers joining the complaint. (NOTE: 93 pages.)

House Bill 2648 (Holbrook)
Creates the Public Office Disqualification Act; provides that involvement in certain specific types of criminal proceedings will disqualify a person from holding appointive or elective public office at the state or local level; specifies procedures under which eligibility to hold office may be restored; other procedures.

House Bill 2653 (Clayton)
Amends Local Government Debt Reform Act; provides that whenever applicable law provides that the authorization or issuance of bonds is subject to referendum, the voters' authorization/approval shall be valid for 10 years after referendum date.

House Bill 2676 (Skinner)
Amends numerous related acts to establish uniform requirements concerning the publication and format of notices for all backdoor referenda; many related definitions regarding such petitions. (NOTE: 189 pages.)

House Bill 2695 (Hughes)
Creates the Bond Ordinance Hearing Act; requires authorities of a district issuing non-referendum bonds, or bonds subject to a backdoor referendum, to hold at least one public hearing on intent to issue the bonds; sets notice requirements; prohibits final vote on the ordinance or resolution until 30 days after the public hearing; other provisions.

House Bill 2713 (Mautino)
Appropriates $1 to the Dept. of Natural Resources for FY '97.

House Bill 2748 (Novak)
Amends Administrative Procedure Act; requires an agency to analyze whether a proposed rule constitutes a taking of property that requires compensation under the U.S. Constitution or other federal or state law; requires results of the analysis to be published along with the first notice required under the Act; other related provisions.

House Bill 2777 (Winkel)
New Act; the Employment Record Disclosure Act; provides that any employer, employer's agent, or authorized worker who, upon request by a prospective employer or a current or former worker, provides truthful written or verbal information about a current/former worker's job performance is presumed to be acting in good faith and is immune from civil liability for such disclosures, unless evidence proves otherwise; other related provisions regarding non-liability.

House Bill 2801 (Lawfer et al)
Preservation Law and the Relief for Diminished Property Value Law; requires that Atty. Gen. set guidelines to help in identifying/evaluating state/local government actions that may result in the taking of private property such that compensation to the owner is required under the State or U.S. constitutions; defines such actions, and corresponding invalidations of such takings.

House Bill 2814 (Kaszak)
Amends Freedom of Information Act; requires a public body to provide a copy of a record in electronic form if the record is available in that form and the person requests that form.

House Bill 2815 (Howard)
New Act; the Part-Time Employee Wage Supplement Act; provides that a part-time worker is entitled to a portion of the employer-sponsored insurance, pension, health, child care, and vacation time benefits available to full-time workers; sets method of computing such benefits; other related applications.

House Bill 2817 (Moore, A.)
Amends Local Land Resource Management Planning Act; changes short title to the Intergovernmental Planning Act; local governments may plan for, protect, and manage land, air, water, natural resources, transportation, and environment of the state through adoption of resource plans, and related plans; sets procedures; term of such plan shall not exceed 20 years; local governments may establish office of hearing officer to resolve disputes; other provisions.

House Bill 2818 (Johnson, Tom)
New Act; the Special Tax District Advisory Referendum Act; provides for the submission of a statewide advisory referendum at the 1996 general election on whether the general assembly should consolidate special districts (excluding school districts) into county, city, and township governmental units; amends Election Code; provides that such referendum is not subject to the question limit for advisory questions submitted to the voters at a general election.

House Bill 2900 (Skinner)
Amends Real Estate Transfer Tax Law in Property Tax Code; creates Local Open Space & Recreational Land Acquisition Fund outside the State Treasury as a trust fund to be re-allocated to counties and the city of Chicago to buy and maintain such areas; starting in FY '97, of moneys collected for real estate transfer tax stamps shall be deposited into the fund; numerous related provisions regarding such money use.

House Bill 3013 (Kubik)
Amends Freedom of Information Act; provides that a public body may not charge fees (1) for cost of searching for/reviewing record, (2) exceeding actual cost of reproducing and certifying the record.

Illinois Parks & Recreation * March/April 1996 * 11

House Bill 3041 (Churchill)
Amends Park District Code; adds a section caption to the short title section.

House Bill 3047 (Leitch et al)
New Act; authorizes Sec. of Transportation to convey certain property to the Peoria Park District in exchange for a certain monetary payment.

House Bill 3057 (Balthis)
Amends Park District Code; provides that a certified copy of the annexing ordinance shall be filed with the county where the annexation takes place (now district), and that district land that is outside the district's boundaries and not contiguous shall not be involuntarily annexed to another park district of city; police may enforce district ordinances on its noncontiguous land located outside the district's boundaries.

House Bill 3064 (Balthis)
Amends Public Funds Statement Publication Act; requires a public officer to report all of certain disbursements exceeding $2,500 (now $1,000).

House Bill 3098 (Morrow et al)
New Act; the Container Fee and Deposit Act; imposes refundable advance disposal fee on certain food/beverage containers that are not being recycled at a rate of at least 50%; requires payment of a 5-cent refundable deposit on such containers; violations are a business offense with a $500 fine.

House Bill 3123 (Murphy, M.)
Amends Property Tax Extension Limitation Law of the Property Tax Code concerning the rate increase or decrease factor; makes technical changes.

House Bill 3141 (Cowlishaw)
Amends Downstate Forest Preserve Dist. Act & Counties Code; provides that if district's boundaries are co-extensive with the boundaries of a county with more than 700,000 but less than 3,000,000 people, district commissioners shall be elected from the same district as members of the county board beginning with general election in 2002; those counties between 700,000 and 3,000,000 shall have no more than 18 county board members.

House Bill 3193 (Parke)
Amends Toxic Substances Disclosure to Employees Act; repeals language requiring the Labor Director to establish a list of toxic substances; changes definition of "toxic substance" by defining it as a substance, mixture, or compound containing a substance that is determined to be hazardous under a specified federal regulation; a copy of a Material Safety Date Sheet shall be made available only on request of the Labor Dept; other provisions.

House Bill 3301 (Schakowsky)
Amends Minimum Wage Law; increases minimum wage to $5.25 (now $3.35) and for workers under age 18 to $4.75 (now $2.85) starting 1/1/97.

House Bill 3331 (Younge)
Amends Park District Code; allows a park district to levy a tax, upon vote approval, for operating, maintaining, etc., swimming pools in the district.

House Bill 3575 (Balthis)
Amends State Comptroller Act; provides that of the 15 public members of the State Comptroller Local Government Advisory Board, at least one shall be an Illinois Municipal League member, and at least one shall be from the Township Officials of Illinois; Comptroller shall establish and maintain a registry of all local governments; amends Governmental Acct. Audit Act and Fire Protection Dist. Act concerning financial reports and audits of certain fire protection districts.

House Bill 3632 (Hughes)
Amends Local Government Debt Reform Act; provides that issuance of limited bonds is subject to a backdoor referendum.

House Bill 3663 (Cross)
Amends Local Governmental and Governmental Employees Tort Immunity Act; adds heading to a section regarding the purposes of the Act and availability of defenses and immunity.

House Bill 3664 (Cross)
Amends Code of Civil Procedure; makes a stylistic change in provisions relating to punitive damages.

House Bill 3667 (Wait)
Amends Property Tax Extension Limit Law of the Property Tax Code; provides that county board In a county whose EAV has increased an average of 20% or more per year over the last 3 levy years shall meet within 30 days after this Act's effective date to debate/vote on record whether to submit the question of whether the board should be subject to this law to the voters of the county; related questions regarding such referenda.

HJRCA 30 (Capparelli)
Proposes to amend Revenue Article of State Constitution to provide that property taxes and any other taxes or user fees shall be levied at an amount no higher than the levy in effect on the effective date of the Amendment or at the levy in effect in 1990, whichever is soonest; other provisions.

Senate Bill 1364 (Dunn)
Amends School Code; bans school districts from levying any property taxes after the 1996 levy year; establishes the Committee for Property Tax Reform to recommend a specific plan for replacing funding for schools through property taxes to the Governor and the General Assembly no later than March 1, 1997.

Senate Bill 1402 (DeAngelis)
Amends Park District Code; provides, whenever any property located within a park district also lies within a municipality that has established a recreation board, and the property is being taxed by both entities, 10% or more of the legal voters in the territory may petition to be disconnected from the park district.

Senate Bill 1447 (Fawell)
Amends Open Meetings Act; provides the Act does not apply to 2 members of a public body meeting to discuss public business if they are a majority of a quorum.

12 * Illinois Parks & Recreation * March/April 1996

Senate Bill 1462 (Farley)
Amends Property Tax Code, Counties Code and numerous other taxing districts Acts to revise the purposes section of the Truth in Taxation Law to require taxing districts to hold public hearings on intention to adopt an aggregate levy and to publish their intentions to adopt a levy increasing taxes by more than 5%, or the Consumer Price Index, whichever is less.

Senate Bill 1511 (Syverson) Makes technical changes in the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law section regarding imposition of new rates.

Senate Bill 1594 (Parker)
Amends Environmental Barriers Act; redefines various terms; sets extent to which various construction and alteration projects must comply with Capital Development Board's accessibility standards or other standards, other provisions.

Senate Bill 1645 (Dillard)
Amends Downstate Forest Preserve District Act; allows districts in counties less than 3 million to construct, equip, acquire, extend, improve, etc., historic buildings and cultural education centers and all related facilities.

Senate Bill 1674 (Lauzen)
Amends Child Labor Law; provides the law does not apply to the work of a 14- or 15-year-old in a program organized an supervised by a park district with a population of less than 500,000; other provisions.

Senate Bill 1767 (Syverson)
Makes technical change in Property Tax Extension Limitation Law section regarding promulgation of rules.

Senate Bill 1819 (Dillard)
Makes technical change in the Local Governmental and Governmental Employees Tort Immunity Act.

SJRCA 76 (Watson et al)
Proposes to amend Legislative Article of State Constitution to limit the means and methods by which the General Assembly may pass bills which require a unit of local government or school district to establish, expand, modify or increase its programs, activities or services.

The Governor said, "The availability of outdoor recreational opportunities, coupled with an abundance of parks and open space preserved for our use and future generations, is important to the enjoyment of life for our citizens. Combined with the local 50 percent funding, these grants actually will result in nearly $26 million worth of improvements that will enhance the quality of life in this state."

The 19 acquisitions and 51 development projects will be funded by $12.7 million in state Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development (OSLAD) revenues and $232,500 in federal Land and Water Conservation Funds (LAWCON). The programs are administered by the Department of Natural Resources, and the funds must be used for parks and outdoor recreation projects.

Twenty-six development projects will create new parks for their communities, while eight of the acquisition projects will preserve nearly 700 acres of high quality natural areas, including some which are home to endangered and threatened wildlife.

Other projects will assist in the construction of new swimming facilities, the designation of safe space for in-line skating and roller hockey and the development of new facilities for fishing.

Fourteen local agencies will develop interpretive trails, wildlife observation stations, wetland enhancement and prairie restoration areas to be used for environmental study.

Both grant programs provide up to 50 percent reimbursement of eligible costs incurred by local governments for approved recreational land acquisition and development work.

The Department received 129 applications from local agencies requesting nearly $20 million in grant funds.

Since the OSLAD PROGRAM was initiated in 1986, $58.2 million has been awarded for local park projects. The program is funded by a dedicated percentage of the state real estate transfer tax.

Financed through federal funds, LAWCON has been in existence since 1965 and has made nearly $134 million available for state and local park projects in Illinois.

Maximum grant awards are $400,000 for acquisition projects and $299,000 for development projects.

To qualify for a grant from either program, an agency must show a need for its project and the ability to carry it through to completion. Other factors include the agency's record in maintaining its other facilities, the amount of local planning involved and a project's ability to address regional and statewide outdoor recreation priorities.

Local governments interested in applying for grants for the coming year should contact the Department of Natural Resources, Division of Grant Administration, 524 South Second Street, Room 315, Springfield, Illinois, 62701-1787, or call

Illinois Parks & Recreation * March/April 1996 * 13

217/782-7481. (See related grants article on pages 17-19 of this issue.)

A list of grant recipients, funding amounts and project description follows:

• Bartlett Park District, $40,000 to develop Humbracht Park into a neighborhood park with play apparatus, a soccer field, picnic area, an open play area and a wetland interpretive overlook.

• Batavia Park District, $320,000 to acquire two parcels of land which are connected by the Illinois Prairie Path, a multi-use recreational trail. A 15.3-acre site adjacent to Batavia Junior High School will be developed with softball and baseball fields, tennis courts, playground, shelter and a pathway connection to the Prairie Path. A 23-acre site, north of Butterfield Road, will be donated by a developer who will install a bike and interpretive trail, and enhance the wetland habitat at a later date.

• Bensenville Park District, $200,000 to continue development of the 80-acre Redmond Park site with a picnic shelter, restrooms, two playgrounds, soccer field, basketball court, sand volleyball court and an asphalt area that can be utilized for roller hockey and winter ice hockey.

• Berwyn Park District, $75,000 to acquire 0.34 acres of land adjacent to Sunshine Park. The land will be used to expand the children's playground by providing swing sets and constructing a shelter.

• Village of Bourbonnais/ Bourbonnais Township Park District, $200,000 to begin initial development of Cavalier de LaSalle Park by developing an overlook pavilion, a fishing pier into the Kankakee River, a restroom building, a parking area, extension of the Perry Trail and landscaping.

• Buffalo Grove Park District, $200,000 to develop the newly acquired 76-acre Busch Grove Community Park with four basketball courts, a roller blade rink, sand volleyball, an open air shelter with restrooms, a soccer field, fast pitch wall and parking lot. The district will restore habitat and provide interpretive signage in the adjacent creek and wetland areas.

• Carol Stream Park District, $200,000 to develop the 48-acre Bierman Park/Heritage Lake site with a playground, picnic shelter, soccer field, sand volleyball, basketball, ice skating and roller hockey areas, fishing stations, a canoe launch area, bicycle path and lake shoreline control and habitat restoration.

• Cary Park District, $165,700 to further develop Jaycee Four Seasons Park by developing a fishing pier and fishing stations, a warming shelter, a bicycle path, a restroom building, a parking area, picnic tables, chess tables, horseshoe pits, landscaping and wetland enhancement.

• Champaign Park District, $93,800 to acquire approximately 15 acres of land in southwest Champaign which, in conjunction with an adjacent 5-acre land donation, will be developed into a neighborhood park. Future development will include ballfields and sportfields, basketball courts, a playground, sand volleyball, picnic areas with grills and parking.

• Forest Preserve District of Cook County, $175,000 to acquire 3 acres of recovering prairie adjacent to Wolf Road Prairie, an Illinois Nature Preserve. The site will be restored to its native prairie condition and is located in unincorporated Cook County near the village of Westchester.

• Forest Preserve District of DuPage County, $400,000 to acquire a tract of land on the east side of Route 83 between North Avenue on the south and Fay Avenue on the north. The site will preserve a wooded and wetland area and extend the existing Cricket Creek Preserve.

• Fon du Lac Park District (Tazewell County), $200,000 to develop an outdoor family aquatic center to replace an antiquated, unusable facility. Components include a water playground, toddler pool, lap pool, picnic area and shelter. A bath house will be completed by the local sponsor.

• Park District of Forest Park, $200,000 to construct a new family aquatic center within the District's only park site. The existing pool no longer meets health and safety standards and will be replaced.

• Fox Valley Park District, $133,400 to develop the 9.8-acre Austin Park site in Montgomery. Features include a shelter with restrooms, interior pathway system, a parking area, informal ballfields, playground, sand volleyball, tennis and basketball courts and a fishing pier. Additionally, a portion of the Fox River Trail will be developed to link Kane and Kendall counties.

• Glenview Park District, $400,000 to acquire 14 acres adjacent to the Grove National Historic Landmark. The parcel was part of the original Kennecott Grove Farm Which is internationally recognized for its ecological, historical and cultural significance. Preservation of this property will provide habitat for four endangered species, the Eastern Prairie fringed orchid. Cooper's hawk, red-shouldered hawk and Kirtland's snake.

• Gurnee Park District/Village of Gurnee, $183,500 to develop two neighborhood parks. The 2.8-acre Shaw Park will be developed with ballfields, playground, hard court play area, prairie garden, interpretive trail and a connection to a nearby long distance trail. Facilities to be developed at the 9.1 acre University Park include ballfields, ice skating, a playground, interpretive trails and parking.

• Hoffman Estates Park District, $200,000 to initiate development of the 26-acre Kelley Community Park. Phase I development will include an accessible playground, basketball court, two ballfields with bleachers and lighting, soccer and football field, ice skating area, habitat restoration, parking and landscaping.

• Inverness Park District, $137,200 to develop the 7-acre Maggie Rogers Park along Ela Road with a soccer field, volleyball court, playground, basketball court, tennis courts, open play area, walking and jogging path, picnic grove, landscaping and parking.

• Kane County Forest Preserve District, $300,000 to acquire approximately 121 acres known as Carson's Slough. The site is part of the Blackberry Creek watershed and has long been known as an important bird habitat. It is home to the Yellow-headed Blackbird and the Sandhill Crane, two endangered species in Illinois.

14 * Illinois Parks & Recreation * March/April 1996

• Kankakee River Valley Forest Preserve, $92,000 to acquire 46 acres adjacent to the Kankakee River in Aroma Park. The site will be developed to provide a nature trail, park benches and a parking area.

• Lake County Forest Preserve District, $400,000 to acquire a 45-acre parcel which will provide a needed connection of the 193-acre Stockholm Lake property near Wauconda with the 1,673-acre Lakewood Forest Preserve. This site contains three endangered plant species, the Large Cranberry, Cordroot Sedge and the Roundleaf Sundew. The grant provides a rare opportunity to purchase a natural lake, bog, and several acres of mature oak- hickory woodlands.

• City of Mendota, $180,700 to develop a recently acquired 6-acre parcel of land adjacent to the City's swimming pool with two baseball diamonds, a basketball and roller blade court, volleyball court, two picnic shelters, a playground, concession stand with restrooms and a parking area.

• Mokena Community Park District, $200,000 to initiate development of the 13.8-acre Grasmere Park site. Facilities include baseball and softball fields, basketball and sand volleyball courts, a tennis court, roller blade area, playground, gazebo, picnic area, asphalt pathway and landscaping.

• Morton Grove Park District, $99,000 to add new recreation facilities at Austin Park. Development includes an innovative safety training and bicycle activity area for children, sand volleyball court, fitness trail, basketball court, soccer field and picnic areas.

• Oak Lawn Park District, $50,000 to develop the 3.8-acre Keeler Park site in the far northeast section of Oak Lawn with a playground, soccer field, horseshoe court, pathway and benches.

• Village of Orland Park, $200,000 to develop a 43.85-acre parcel of Centennial Park. This parcel consists of 24 acres of water and 19.85 acres of land. Development will consist of a baseball field, a soccer field, a portion of bicycle trail, fishing piers, native grassland and wetland restoration, site grading, road and parking lot.

• Palatine Park District/Village of Palatine, $200,000 to acquire a 19-acre block of vacant property in downtown Palatine. The property will be used for civic events and will provide important open space.

• Park Ridge Recreation & Park District, $150,100 to expand the Wildwood Nature Center by enlarging the classroom area, working and storage area and upgrading the restrooms. A shelter and tail development also will be provided to enhance interpretive opportunities.

• Peoria Park District, $200,000 to further develop Southtown/Carver Park to include a softball field, soccer field, walking path, playground equipment, an outdoor environmental learning center and landscaping. This project is a major part of an economic revitalization of the area directly south of downtown Peoria.

• River Forest Park District, $200,000 to provide initial development of the 8.5-acre Priory Park Site. Facilities include a park shelter, creative play area, sport playfields, benches, bike racks and landscaping.

• Rockford Park District, $200,000 to replace antiquated and unsafe play equipment with modular units at eight different park sites throughout the District.

• Rolling Meadows Park District, $400,000 to acquire the existing Plum Grove club, an 8.5-acre site containing two swimming pools, 11 tennis courts, a soccer field, playground, sand volleyball and parking facilities. This will be the District's first active use park west of Interstate 290.

• Round Lake Area Park District, $400,000 to acquire 31 acres for the future development of a community park in this rapidly growing area in Lake County.

• Schaumburg Park District, $200,000 to develop a 9.5-acre site known as Knollwood Park, located in one of Schaumburg's high density multi-and-single family neighborhoods. Proposed development includes tennis and basketball courts, a tot lot and an intermediate age playground, shelter, open play areas for baseball and softball and hiking and hiking paths.

• Skokie Park District, $200,000 to provide first-time opportunities for fishing and boating along the Chicago River North Shore Channel in Skokie. The project will also include the extension of the North Shore bike path on the east side and a trailhead shelter with restrooms.

• Springfield Park District, $30,000 to upgrade Jaycee Park, a 12.5-acre neighborhood park, including the renovation of the existing restroom facility and the construction of a new picnic shelter, playground, basketball court, pathway system and additional landscaping.

• St. Charles Park District, $57,000 to acquire the last vacant piece of riverfront property in St. Charles. This 2.9-acre site is located directly south of Person Creek Park and will provide important habitat and water-based recreation facilities, as well as a critical addition to the Fox River greenbelt.

• Taylorville Community Pleasure Driveway and Park District, $130,700 to develop a 10-acre parcel adjacent to Jayne's Park. Facilities include two softball diamonds (one lighted with a scoreboard), a soccer field, two sand volleyball courts, a concession stand and picnic areas.

• Vermillion County Conservation District, $89,600 to acquire 164.5 acres adjacent to Kennekuk County Park. This property will provide a buffer for Lake Mingo, the Lake Mingo Trail and prime hunting areas. This acquisition enables the District to increase recreational opportunities and preserve habitat.

• Westmont Park District, $400,000 to acquire a 35-acre tract of land to serve as the District's first community park site north of Ogden Avenue. Initial development will include a hiking and hiking pathway system, ballfields, with backstops, open recreation space and parking.

• Forest Preserve District of Will County, $121,000 to develop Lower Rock Run Preserve south of Joliet along the Illinois & Michigan Canal by providing trail access, parking, a shelter, drinking water, toilet, a wetland and wildlife observation deck and nature trails with interpretive signage landscaping and natural area restoration. 

Illinois Parks & Recreation * March/April 1996 * 15