Leaf a Legacy supports Sycamore Park District’s long-range plan, ACTION 2020

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Leaf a Legacy supports Sycamore Park District’s long-range plan, ACTION 2020

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When the Sycamore Park District’s referendum passed in November 2014 it was clear that its long-range plan, ACTION 2020, hit the mark on the recreational opportunities residents needed and wanted. However, the District did not want the funding for this ambitious plan to fall solely on this property tax increase. Leaf a Legacy, will support another fraction of the cost. This campaign is more than merely raising funds. It is an investment in the high quality of life that Sycamore residents cherish and work hard to uphold.

Just as residents banded together in 1923 to establish the Park District and again in 1970 to develop the Sports Complex, Leaf a Legacy is a chance for today’s Park District supporters and users to leave their own legacy with the Park District – knowing that the ACTION 2020 projects will enrich the lives of Sycamore residents for generations to come in much the same way as these other legacies have.

Leaf a Legacy’s fundraising goal is $1 million. This is a fraction of the total $13 million needed to complete all of ACTION 2020. Since spring of 2015, Park District Board members have been reaching out to potential private donors. One donor has even pledged to contribute $1.50 for every $1.00 raised, up to $300,000.

ACTION 2020 will accommodate the recreational needs of this fast growing and diversifying community. Setting and attaining funding goals ensures that memberships, rentals and program fees are kept affordable as new facilities are built and new programming is developed. Leaf a Legacy asks residents to help with some of these funding goals that, when met, will have a lasting impact on the accessibility of recreation in Sycamore for many years to come.

Community input will continue to be the cornerstone of ACTION 2020. For the last several months, citizen committees have been researching and sharing ideas about how to meet the unique needs of Sycamore within each of the plan’s projects. A successful Leaf a Legacy campaign will aid the District in its effort to make these recommendations a reality.

ACTION 2020 was designed to be supported by a variety of funding mechanisms so that each carries a portion of the load and that plans are not dependent upon one source of revenue. Funding will come from grants, tax dollars, stakeholder fundraising, sponsorships, private donations and the Leaf a Legacy public fundraising campaign.

The ACTION 2020 projects that Leaf a Legacy will help fund include a recreation campus with a new community center, dog park, splashpad and sled hill as well as trail expansion and connections, Sports Complex expansion and a new irrigation system for the Sycamore Park District Golf Club.