Each year Openlands partners with ComEd to administer the ComEd Green Region Program. Recognizing that open space in our communities is a crucial element of the quality of our lives, the ComEd program awards grants for municipal efforts to plan for, protect, and improve open land in ComEd's service area of northern Illinois. These grants, of up to $10,000 each, will support existing open space projects that focus on conservation, preservation and improvements to local parks and recreation resources. Grant recipients can use Green Region grants in combination with other funding sources to cover a portion of the expenses associated with developing and/or supporting their open space programs. The Village has sought this funding twice over the past several years.

On June 27th the Village learned that ComEd and Openlands approved a grant of $10,000 in support of the Richmond Education Gardens and Apiary Project. The total project's funds raised is now at $60,000, including funds committed from the Village of Clarendon Hills, Village of Westmont, Clarendon Hills Park District, and the Clarendon Hills Park Foundation.

Installation of the Apiary is proceeding and development of formal development plans for the remainder of the gardens project is scheduled to begin later this summer.