"The park district started on a master plan late in 2011 and had been adopted by the board in early 2013. Many of the ideas within it were sustainable practices being stewards of the environment, different aspects of green,†said Justin Grady. The Mattoon Township Park District received a grant in 2014 after presenting their plans, but the funds were frozen in 2015 due to a lack of state budget. This past December, Grady was told they would receive a $400,000 match grant. He was thrilled to begin construction. "We're standing here where the pavilion is going to go. We have a great need for another pavilion. We have two large pavilions here but they're booked every weekend in the summer," said Grady. Grady says planning the location of the pavilion was easy, because he had a lot of input from community members. "I've been here for 35 years, and one thing that's always been requested is pavilions closer to the bathroom. So we designed a pavilion that is connected to the restroom, but it also has sustainable aspects about it," said Grady. Grady says the new restroom will be eco-friendly and connected to a cistern, allowing rain water from the roof to be used for plumbing. The project is expected to be completed in May, just in time for summer.
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