East Peoria is hoping to secure a state grant to expand its reach of recreational trails north of the I-74 bridge. The city is applying for a $400,000 grant from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. City Planning Director Ty Livingston says the grant would pay for vegetation removal and concrete recreation trails along the 13-acre peninsula jutting out on the Illinois River:
“The trail system that we have right now in the park is elevated and you’re a little bit away from the river, you can still see it, you’re next to it. But this really provides you that much closer connection to what’s going on down there and I think it’s something people will be really excited to see and be a part of,” Livingston says.
Livingston says the state will pay for 90-percent of the cost of the grant. He says clearing away vegetation and adding trails could pave the way for a fishing pier, family camping areas, and other long-term projects.
In other news, the city’s EastSide Centre is set to house some athletics for Robert Morris University this fall. The school will pay rental fees to have baseball games, men’s and women’s basketball practice, and football