Illinois Capital Development Board Releases Nearly $1.7 Million in Funding to Lake Land College Toward the Renovation of Parking Lot A

MATTOON - The Illinois Capital Development Board today announced $1.7 million has been released for the improvements to the parking lot at Lake Land College from the state, with local matching funds supporting a total investment of $2.3 million. The funding will help address deferred maintenance projects on the Lake Land College campus that have been stalled due to a lack of investment by previous administrations. Made possible by Governor Pritzker's bipartisan capital plan, the first in nearly a decade, the renovation work will create good jobs and economic opportunities for residents in the surrounding community. CDB will oversee the project's renovation under the protocol for state-appropriated capital projects.

"It is the duty of elected officials to provide young people with the tools and resources they need to shape their future and achieve their dreams," said Governor JB Pritzker. "With funding from the Rebuild Illinois capital plan, Lake Land College will be able to complete long-needed maintenance work and complete the replacement of parking lot A, improving campus safety for students and staff alike."

"I am thankful to the State of Illinois for addressing the overdue maintenance of universities and colleges," said CDB Executive Director Jim Underwood. "The Rebuild Illinois capital plan is essential for upgrading and improving facilities throughout the state, and it's a privilege to have an investment of this magnitude."
                         
The project includes the replacement of the pavement in Parking Lot A and drainage improvements.

"We appreciate the State's investment in Lake Land College's critical infrastructure," said Lake Land College President Josh Bullock. "Rennovating this dated and deteriorating parking lot will greatly enhance the safety of our students and staff, and remedy ongoing drainage issues that have plagued the campus."

"Today's announcement of capital funding for maintenance at Lake Land College is the type of investment Illinois has been needing to make for too long. Community colleges build the foundation of higher education throughout much of the state, and this particular project will positively impact the first impressions of prospective staff and students at Lake Land," said State Representative Chris Miller.

The historic Rebuild Illinois capital plan passed in 2019 with bipartisan super-majorities and will invest $45 billion in roads, bridges, railways, universities, early childhood centers, and state aging facilities over the next five years, creating and supporting an estimated 540,000 jobs over the life of the plan and revitalizing local economies across the state.