State Senator Andy Manar has sponsored legislation designed to help the City of Pana and more importantly, dormant land near Pana Lake. The city of Pana is moving forward on a plan to develop more than 140 acres of this land around Pana Lake. The bill was signed into law earlier in December by Governor JB Pritzker.
Greg Holthaus, who is the Pana City Engineer is excited about this move. “This is very exciting for everyone involved in the planning of the Pana Lake development. This allows us to develop hiking trails, campsites, and other recreational amenities. We’re grateful to Senator Manar for his effort in removing this barrier.”
Senator Manar says that local leaders are what drives these decisions. “It’s important that local leaders be in the driver’s seat and have a say regarding land that lies within their boundaries. Transferring this land from state ownership will provide Pana with the authority to most effectively use the land to benefit its residents and the region. I appreciate Mayor Kroski reaching out to me about this important issue and I am pleased that we were finally able to get it resolved.”
The contract had been originally created as an agreement between the city and the department of conservation in 1949 but it never happened. The state had intended to develop the land for recreational use.
Senate Bill 1597 authorizes the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to relinquish the state’s right to manage and develop the Pana Lake dam and the surrounding area and will go into effect immediately.
