SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Nearly $55 million in state grants are being awarded for 111 local park projects throughout Illinois to help communities acquire land and develop recreational opportunities, Gov. JB Pritzker announced Tuesday.

In Clinton County, the Aviston Park District will receive $100,000, the City of Carlyle will receive $600,000 as will the City of Centralia, and the Village of New Baden will receive nearly $248,000.

In Fayette County, the City of Vandalia will receive $600,000, in Jefferson County the City of Nason will receive $600,000 and in Marion County the Village of Central City will receive $599,600.

For the second year in a row, the governor ensured funding was set aside for economically distressed communities, resulting in 32 underserved locations receiving $18.7 million in grants from the Open Space Land Acquisition and Development, or OSLAD, program.

In our area, Centralia, Vandalia, Nason and Central City are all considered economically distressed communities.