You Can Help Name Rock Island County’s New Park
The Rock Island County Forest Preserve is looking for your ideas on a name for its new park.
The park is in East Moline, between I-80 and Illinois 92 and the Preserve have challenged the public to come up with names for it. It is almost 180 acres of land and, thanks to a $1 million grant from the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation, the space will be converted into a public-use park.
"Our arborists and superintendents will be devising a plan (for the land), and that starts with getting a good read on what's there," Rock Island County Board Member and County Forest Preserve President Kai Swanson told WQAD. "They're going to spend some time looking at what's there, what makes the best sense for conservation and restoration, but also what makes the best sense for learning and recreation."
Brainstorming names already? Then you should know that the Preserve wants names that reflect the rich history and optimism of the Quad Cities area.
This will be the forest preserve's 7th park and could help preserve endangered species that include the American Bumblebee, the Rusty Patched Bumblebee (pictured below), and two kinds of bats: the Indiana Bat and the Northern Long-Eared Bat.
You'll be able to go hiking, biking, horseback riding, picnicking, or camping.
Have an idea in mind? You have until the end of March to submit your ideas to this email: newpark@ricfpd.org. If you would rather snail mail it in, send it to 'New Park' at 19406 Loud Thunder Rd, Illinois City, IL, 61259.