Outdoor Money Used For Indoor Facility

The gravy train is rolling….even when there isn’t any gravy.

Last week, the state announced $10-million dollars in grants to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to build and improve recreational buildings..or purchase land to be given to local governments for recreation and public access.

This the same IDNR that owns Atkinson Forest but lets Fairfield send bridge and street employees to help maintain it.

Over in Edwardsville, the Governor announced last week he was throwing $2.5 million dollars to help build that city’s first indoor recreational center. I am confused. The state’s department which is responsible for managing our outdoors….gives a gift to move recreation indoors.

The grant will help build an indoor ice-skating rink, an elevated 175-meter four lane running track, a 3000-square foot fitness center, locker rooms, spectator seating, an access road and a parking lot.

Isn’t that special?

Here’s why that money would never come here-----we are not populated enough to get the media attention required by the Governor, who most assuredly will be there to hand out the candy and take a bow. The grant is a gift to a Democratic lawmaker, Rachelle Crowe, who is from Glen Carbon, which has been skewing Republican in recent elections. The governor is not going to do anything for Darren Bailey.

Wouldn’t that grant have been wonderful here? Spent on the outdoors…on land already owned by the state given as a gift for naturalists?

It would have made more sense than a carbon-producing, land-sucking, political gift from a state that doesn’t have a pot to pee in.