Du Quoin wins state grant to make major upgrades to city pool

Du Quoin has been awarded a $390,000 grant from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to make major renovations to the city pool.

The Du Quoin award is part of $30.3 million in grants for 87 local park projects around Illinois.

The grants are through the state's Open Space Land Acquisition and Development (OSLAD) program, administered by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. OSLAD grants can provide up to one-half of a project's funds and, when combined with the investment of local matching funds, will support more than $56 million in local park development projects and land acquisitions statewide.

Du Quoin Mayor Guy Alongi said the grant money will help pay to completely gut the girls and boys bath houses, to either pave or lay concrete down in the parking lot, among other renovations in and around the municipal pool.

"It's a hell of a deal," the mayor said, explaining the city has to contribute 10% of the total project cost, while the IDNR grant pays for 90%.

"This grant comes 43 years to the day the City of Du Quoin celebrated its dedication," Alongi posted on Facebook, referring to opening day for the city pool in 1979.

Other southern Illinois communities that won these grants are $253,000 for Christopher, which will undertake a park renovation; Red Bud, which got $400,000 to help revitalize Ratz Park; and the Harrisburg Township Park District, which plans to build any inclusive playground at the soccer complex, and got $396,000 from IDNR to help.