State Sen. Bill Brady (R-Bloomington) has decided which projects will benefit from a $750,000 state grant. (WJBC file photo)

By Adam Studzinski

BLOOMINGTON – State Sen. Bill Brady (R-Bloomington) announced Tuesday which projects will receive a share of a $750,000 legislative grant.

The money was originally intended for Bloomington to use to expand McGraw Park. However, the city council decided to vote against approving the project.

"This money was allocated in the last major bond program, which was many years ago, to serve the citizens of the 44th Senate District" said Brady. "When the city turned down the project at McGraw Park it caused for a re-examination of those needs."

Brady formed a committee, headed by former Bloomington Mayor Jesse Smart, which recommended five projects to receive a share of the money.

Those included:
$100,000 for a sea wall on Bloomington Lake for Timber Point Outdoor Center
$200,000 for Sunnyside Park improvements
$125,000 for improvements at Miller Park Pavilion
$75,000 to the City of Delavan for removal of a hazardous building in the downtown area
$250,000 to the Village of McLean for a new water tower

"The committee just looked at what they felt would best serve the general area of Bloomington, Normal, and McLean County, I know one of the projects is in Delavan," said Brady. "They also looked at what they thought were projects that might not find other funding in other ways."

Brady said a lot of good projects were submitted.

"It doesn't diminish in any way the value of those projects. This just happened to be a reflecting of what the committee thought the highest priorities were," he said.

Brady hoped this will be a "win" for the district and the taxpayers.

Adam Studzinski can be reached at [email protected].