The Heartland REALTOR® Organization (HRO) and the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) are partnering with the Land Conservancy of McHenry County and the city of Woodstock to enlarge and enhance a local park.

Woodstock will use a $3,800 NAR placemaking grant to help buy land next to Emricson Park and transform it into a gathering place, according to Neeley Erickson, Illinois REALTORS® governmental affairs director. The Pollinator Meadow Project at Emricson Park will provide a habitat for insects such as monarch butterflies and allow park patrons to enjoy a tranquil part of the park.

“The state insect is the monarch butterfly and its population has been on a steady decline,” said Jim Haisler, Heartland’s chief executive officer. “This grant will help the city of Woodstock build habitats to increase the monarch population while enhancing and transforming an unused space for community pride and environmental benefit.”

“This wonderful donation from Heartland REALTORS® and the National Association of REALTORS® will bring joy to all those who visit Woodstock’s newest pollinator garden,” said Terry Wilcockson, city of Woodstock grants/communications manager. “This is the kind of community support that helps enrich the lives of our residents and makes Woodstock an even more attractive place to purchase a home.”

Park visitors can expect to enjoy these new amenities sometime later this summer or next spring, says Erickson, who helped Haisler apply for and secure this particular grant. The city of Woodstock started working with the Land Conservancy several years ago and continues that partnership today.

Erickson

Haisler

“Woodstock has a community uniqueness in that it embraces preservation of architecture, new development and land conservation,” says Erickson. “The residents are very smart and tactful about the way they do it, too.

“In fact, that’s the aura that surrounds McHenry County. As the county has embraced commercialized development, it knows that to attract new residential growth and sustain it, it must balance commercial growth with the recreational, walkable and family-oriented community vibe to thrive.”

The Woodstock grant is just one of several grants that Erickson has helped local associations apply for so far this year.

How do REALTORS® get placemaking grants?

REALTOR® Party Programs Manager Jim Clayton – who is also the governmental affairs director for numerous local chapters in the middle of the state – says individual members can work with their local association leaders and their local GADs to apply for placemaking grants. Guidelines are available at: realtorparty.realtor/community-outreach/placemaking.

“About $200,000 is usually budgeted for placemaking grants in Illinois, and we usually have between 10 and 15 grants a year that are approved. Placemaking grants are for developing new outdoor gathering places in our local communities,” he says. “The best ideas typically come from our members.”

For information on the NAR placemaking program, visit: nar.realtor/grants/placemaking-grant.

For a list of local GADs, go to: illinoisrealtors.org/about/staff/.