Peru awarded $600,000 for Washington Park ice rink upgrades

Peru will be able to make significant upgrades to the ice rink at Washington Park, including buying a chiller to keep the ice frozen longer throughout the winter, thanks in part to a $600,000 state grant announced Tuesday.

“We are very excited,” said Adam Thorson, Peru’s director of parks, recreation and special events. “It’s the missing piece to have winter recreation opportunities at Washington Park, and we’re looking forward to providing that in future years.”

Peru applied for an Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development Grant, a program administered by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, to make improvements around the Washington Park ice rink and make it available to the public despite weather conditions.

Peru was one of 111 local park and recreation projects selected for funding throughout Illinois, totaling $54.9 million.

Thorson said earlier this month the ice rink likely wouldn’t open this year because there was a sustained amount of freezing temperatures. Last year, it was open for seven days.

This is the second time the city has applied for the grant in hopes of upgrading Washington Park. Peru will match the project’s 50/50 contribution.

Thorson said he appreciated all of the hard work from everyone involved in applying for the grant, including Eric Carls and the engineering department.

With the grant, upgrades would be available, including a chiller to keep the rink frozen longer, a clubhouse-like building for skate rentals, fire pits, locker rooms and a Zamboni machine to maintain the ice.

Thorson said Peru also applied for a $400,000 Tourism Attraction Program Grant for the chiller units and improvements to the park. He said he doesn’t expect to hear back about the grant until mid-spring.

Peru Mayor Ken Kolowski said the city was excited to have been awarded the grant saying it was a great day for the city and the park system.

“This has been a long time coming,” he said. “We’ve been working hard trying to get these grants because we want to keep growing in our community.”

Gov. JB Pritzker said in a news statement its his mission with these grants to support the health and well-being of Illinoisans.

“With funding from the OLSAD program, municipalities across Illinois will have the opportunity to expand and improve local neighborhood parks through sport and recreational space, plants, playgrounds, and more,” Pritzker said. “All across Illinois, we’re enhancing our state’s natural beauty and creating safer, healthier, and happier communities.”

Established by the Illinois General Assembly in 1986, OSLAD is a cost-sharing program between state and local governments that helps communities fund land acquisition and development for parks and outdoor recreation projects. It’s become one of the most popular grant programs in Illinois.