Full Text of HR0616 97th General Assembly
HR0616 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
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| 1 | | HOUSE RESOLUTION
| 2 | | WHEREAS, Shabbona Lake State Park and Recreation Area | 3 | | offers a peaceful and unspoiled natural haven located just west | 4 | | of the Chicago metropolitan area, which includes 1,550 acres of | 5 | | rolling grass-covered meadows, upland mesic woods, bottomland | 6 | | woods, a native, undisturbed fen, and 318.8 acre man-made | 7 | | fishing lake; and
| 8 | | WHEREAS, Originally, the park was home to tribes of Native | 9 | | Americans and derives its name from Chief Shabbona; pioneer | 10 | | settlement of the area began in the 1830s to utilize the rich | 11 | | soils for farming; and | 12 | | WHEREAS, In 1965, it was decided to develop the lake and | 13 | | recreational area in Shabbona; land acquisition was begun in | 14 | | 1969; in 1973, the lake area was cleared of trees, the | 15 | | shoreline was modified, and earthen fishing piers and fish | 16 | | congregators were erected; by 1975, a 3,000-foot-long earthen | 17 | | dam and a concrete spillway was completed and the lake was | 18 | | formed; day use facilities were constructed in 1976 and | 19 | | continue to serve the public today; and
| 20 | | WHEREAS, Areas of Shabbona Lake have been restored with | 21 | | prairie grasses, such as Big Blue Stem, and prairie flowers, | 22 | | such as purple cone flower; in addition, Shabbona Lake contains |
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| 1 | | a 15-acre seasonal nesting area for migratory waterfowl, such | 2 | | as canvasback, redhead, and pintail ducks, as well as Canada | 3 | | geese; and
| 4 | | WHEREAS, Shabbona Lake has facilities for year-round | 5 | | picnicking, camping, hiking, fishing, hunting, and winter | 6 | | sports; and
| 7 | | WHEREAS, Shabbona Lake is a pilot site for accessibility; | 8 | | all features of the park are accessible to those with physical | 9 | | disabilities, including 8 campsites, the fishing pier and dock, | 10 | | dove hunting stations, a 35-acre archery deer zone, | 11 | | concessions, and a restaurant; and
| 12 | | WHEREAS, Local members of Lions Club International have | 13 | | held an annual Handicapped Children's Fishing Derby since 1979 | 14 | | and a cross-county snow skiing event for the visually impaired - | 15 | | Ski for Sight - since the early 1980s; and
| 16 | | WHEREAS, Shabbona Lake recently passed the 12 millionth | 17 | | visitor and has over 425,000 visitors annually, making the park | 18 | | the second largest tourist attraction for the area after | 19 | | Northern Illinois University; and
| 20 | | WHEREAS, Shabbona Lake is the site of numerous | 21 | | achievements, including 4 State of Illinois Record Muskie and 2 |
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| 1 | | State of Illinois Record Crappie catches; and | 2 | | WHEREAS, Shabbona Lake is recognized as the "Muskie Capitol | 3 | | of Illinois" and as "Illinois' Best Fishing Lake"; and | 4 | | WHEREAS, Visitors at Shabbona Lake can view numerous | 5 | | species of wildlife, including whitetail deer, fox, coyote, | 6 | | raccoon, squirrels, turkey, waterfowl, and songbirds; and | 7 | | WHEREAS, Shabbona Lake's great beauty and many | 8 | | achievements are due in large part to the efforts of the park's
| 9 | | outstanding and dedicated volunteers and staff, and support | 10 | | from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources; therefore, | 11 | | be it
| 12 | | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE | 13 | | NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that | 14 | | we recognize the importance of Shabbona Lake State Park for the | 15 | | people of the State of Illinois and thank the park's staff and | 16 | | volunteers for their hard work in maintaining this beautiful | 17 | | area; and be it further
| 18 | | RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be | 19 | | delivered to the Director of the Illinois Department of Natural | 20 | | Resources and the Site Manager of Shabbona Lake State Park.
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