ComEd, Openland grants fund green-spaces projects

CHICAGO -- Commonwealth Edison and the environmental advocacy group Openlands have awarded grants for 22 projects aimed at conserving and improving public green spaces.

Officials say the grants total $155,000, and will be distributed this week for projects in nine northern Illinois counties. The grants are meant to help municipalities that would have difficulty affording the projects on their own.

The projects focus on conservation, preservation, protecting endangered species and improving local parks and recreation resources.

Funded projects include a prairie restoration in Rolling Meadows, a bike path in LaGrange Park, restoration of a historic in-ground bird bath in Kenilworth Park District and construction of a rain garden in Niles.

Openlands is administering the grant program.