News Briefs: Grant awarded for Lincoln Park renovation; Wilmette rec leader honored by USTA; Evans Scholarship won by New Trier student

The Park District of Highland Park has been awarded a $528,500 grant to fund repairs and improvements to Lincoln Park. The money will be used to replace and enhance the park’s existing amenities, including new playgrounds and a basketball court.

The district also plans to make improvements to the park’s soccer field, walking paths and furniture.

As part of the project, the community will be able to help shape the design of the park, according to a release from the district. Public meetings will be held on the topic starting this summer. Construction on the project is expected to begin in the summer of 2025.

The funds are coming from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources’ Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development grant program. The program provides up to 50 percent of the cost of public park and recreation projects that are approved by the state.

The renovations are in part because of resident concerns about losing the recreational amenities that were provided by the Lincoln School property, the release says.

Wilmette parks leader collects USTA honor

Jason Stanislaw, the general manager of Wilmette’s Centennial Recreation Complex, recently received the USTA Midwest Stanley Malless District Diamond Service Award at the association’s annual meeting on Jan. 26 in Cincinnati.

The award was presented to Stanislaw for his distinguished service in developing tennis programs at the grassroots level for more than five years. Stanislaw has been involved in promoting and developing tennis programs for more than 30 years.

As a former professional player, Stanislaw achieved notable success in the junior and high school tennis competitions in the United States and abroad. He played Federation Tennis in France in the early 2000s and has served as a board member for the U.S. Tennis Association Chicago District since 2014, including a term as president.

Stanislaw is a graduate of Michigan State University and has displayed a passion for tennis since swinging a racquet at the age of six.

“Jason employs a growth mindset to managing and promoting the sport by creating a welcoming culture with a belief that engagement in sports — at any skill level — is an activity worth celebrating,” USTA Chicago Executive Director Jill Siegel said in a press release. “His mantra, ‘All Play is Good Play,’ reinforces this idea.”

In 2020, Stanislaw joined the Wilmette Park District as racket sports manager and became the general manager of the Centennial Recreation Complex in 2020.

Local teen wins Evans Scholarship

A New Trier High School student is one of 74 from the Chicago area who have been awarded full college scholarships through the Evans Scholars program.

Logan Dubansky, of Wilmette, a caddy at Westmoreland Country Club, was selected from a pool of candidates through a competitive process that included interviews at Midlothian and Oak Park country clubs.

The Evans Scholarship is a competitive scholarship program that offers students the opportunity to pursue a degree in golf while also receiving financial assistance. The program is open to students from across the country, and the 2023-24 selection meeting process is expected to finish in March, and an estimated 340 caddies will be awarded the Evans Scholarship.

The students who have been awarded the Evans Scholarship are coming from a variety of backgrounds but all reflect the four listed criteria: a strong caddying record, strong academic record, financial need, and high character.

The Evans Scholarship Program is supported by contributions from more than 36,000 supporters across the country. In 2024, the BMW Championship, the penultimate PGA TOUR Playoff event in the PGA TOUR’s FedExCup competition, will be held at Castle Pines Golf Club in Colorado. The proceeds from the championship will be donated to the Evans Scholars Foundation, which supports students from across the nation.

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