By Jason Crane
The Aurora City Council, Tuesday, approved a Resolution for a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the City of Aurora and Phillips Park Foundation, as requested by alderman of the Third Ward, Ted Mesiacos.
The Phillips Park Foundation has recently been formed as a new Phillips Park not for profit entity to raise money to promote and enhance the park.
Phillips Park is a near 400-acre park named after Travis Phillips, mayor of Aurora in 1881, and is owned and maintained by the City for public use and enjoyment and includes Phillips Park Zoo, Phillips Park Golf Course, a playground, gardens, picnic areas, sporting and other recreational areas.
The Phillips Park Foundation seeks to generate renewed interest in Phillips Park, establish various funds to promote and enhance the park, and to further the historic status.
The MOU provides that the City will make a one-time payment to the Foundation in the amount of $10,000, and an additional one-time payment of $100,000 from the Third Ward aldermen’s funds within 30 days after the Foundation provides proof that it filed its Articles of Incorporation with the Illinois Secretary of State and has opened a bank account or established a deposit account or fund with the Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley in accordance with its rules.