For almost nine years, people have worked to make the Town of Linn Nature Park a special place for the community.
Now, they have something they can brag about.
In November, the 160-acre park at the corner of South Lake Shore Drive and Maple Ridge Road received the 2008 Conservation and Native Landscaping Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Chicago Wilderness.
Town Chairman David Bollweg said he wasn't expecting that the park would win the award until he received a letter from the EPA announcing the good news.
"I think it's quite an honor," Bollweg said. "Hopefully, in the future, it may lead to more grant opportunities."
Tallgrass Restoration, the agency which is working with the town in its ongoing effort to restore and enhance the park, made the award nomination.
"The town of Linn park was the first one we thought of for the award," said Linda Yunker, of Tallgrass. "(The park) really is a recognition piece."
But there wouldn't be a park without Melita Grunow, who gave the town a quantity of stock to purchase the property in February 2000. A horseback rider, Grunow long enjoyed the property and wanted others to experience it. "I appreciate the beauty of it," she said. "As it turns out, I love what the town did with it. It's just a gorgeous piece of land and I didn't want to see it become a golf course."
Instead, it became a protected slice of nature, including wetlands, tallgrass prairies and oak savannahs that create a habitat for some endangered species such as the Henslow's Sparrow. The park also features a pavilion and a unique, handmade silo that was believed to have been built in the late 1880s.
Bollweg believes Grunow's donation is the largest the town has ever received.
"We really wanted a park, and when Melita came forward and said she wanted to do this, I said, 'You don't know how much we're going to appreciate it,'" he said. "It was awesome."
Town Board Supervisor Mike Palmer, who chairs the town's Public Parks Committee, said the award has made him proud.
"We're proud of our park and proud of Melita for making it possible," he said.
Committee co-chair and Town Board Supervisor Jeanne Allis said the competition for the award included all types of national parks, including Botanical Gardens.
The award has given her and other officials even higher hopes for the park.
"Having an award like this gives us a shining star (that) would help us get some funds for the park," Allis said.
Bollweg believes the award puts the spotlight on those who deserve it.
"I look at it as recognition for the job that Melita, Mike and Jeanne have done," he said.
Grunow was just as surprised about the town receiving the award as other officials. But more importantly, she is pleased with what the town has done with the park.
"I believe it's a nice addition to the community," she said.
What's to come?
Bollweg said the Public Parks Committee currently is trying to raise money to move the historic Nichols School to the park. The school is located on Highway B.
Allis said the goal is to expand the opportunities to enjoy the park by building bridges, expanding trails and creating educational opportunities.
Also, the town and Tallgrass are still working on a project to restore the park to its natural state.
"There are a lot of invasive species that have taken over a lot of the spaces there," Allis said.
But the future of town parks may not be limited to this one.
According to Allis, the history of the Town of Linn Nature Park serves as a "good model" for the future, if someone should come forward to donate land to the town.
"As we move forward, we are looking at this to be a great example of a good partership with someone from the community," she said. "We'd definitely be interested in doing this again."