(70 ILCS 805/5a) (from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 6308a)
Sec. 5a.
When any district borders upon any navigable body of water,
the title to the bed or submerged land of which is vested in the State of
Illinois, the district may, with the written approval of the Secretary of the
Illinois Department of Transportation, take possession of, enclose, fill in,
reclaim and protect any portion of such submerged land bordering thereon, over
which there shall be shoal and shallow water not fit for navigation and
shall have the power to establish, construct and maintain forest preserves and
boulevards over and upon the same, and all right, title and interest of the
State of Illinois in and to the bed or submerged land of such body of water
so taken possession of, enclosed, filled in and reclaimed is hereby granted
and ceded to such district and the title thereto shall vest in such
district to be held for the use and benefit of the public as a part of
said district for forest preserve and boulevard purposes exclusively, and the
district shall have power for the purpose of reclaiming such submerged land
and protecting the same thereafter, to construct all necessary
break-waters or other protection for the building and maintenance of such
forest preserves and boulevards, and the enclosing or reclamation of such submerged lands.
Any such submerged lands so enclosed and reclaimed as aforesaid shall
forever be held and maintained for forest preserve and boulevard purposes
and no portion thereof shall ever be granted or ceded away by any district
for any purpose, and in case the same should ever cease to be used for
forest preserve or boulevard purposes, then the title to the same shall
revert to the State of Illinois, together with all the improvements thereon
and the appurtenances thereof.
(Source: P.A. 84-783.)
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