Gov. JB Pritzker has announced 2021 boat-access are development grants totaling $721,500 have been awarded to five communities.
Among them is the Sterling Park District – Oppold Marina ADA Boat Accessibility in Whiteside County.
The project will receive $62,200 to install two new accessible parking stalls; remove the existing sidewalk and improved pavement; install new concrete paths from the accessible parking areas to the sidewalk that connects to boat dock; install block retaining wall; and, install a new 40′ x 5′ ADA boat dock and a 10′ x 5′ boat slip.
The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) Natural Resources Advisory Board reviewed grant requests totaling more than $1.4 million and recommended awarding funding for the projects.
The Boat Access Area Development Program provides financial assistance to local government agencies for the acquisition, construction, and expansion or rehabilitation of public boat and canoe access areas on Illinois’ lakes and rivers. The program provides up to 100 percent of approved project construction costs and 90 percent of approved land acquisition costs. There is a limit of $200,000 per project per year.
Revenue for this program is derived from marine motor fuel tax and boat and canoe registration fees. Download the Boat Access Area Development Program Manual at
