Where is ours?

The outdoor options for local residents are set to increase, as Gov. Pat Quinn's office announced last week that $151,000 will go toward constructing new Whalon Lake bike paths.

The Will County Forest Preserve District will receive the funds to develop two new bike trail sections that will branch off of the main Whalon bike loop off of Royce Road, according to a release from the governor's office.

Two sections of trail will be constructed out of the existing Whalon loop, according to the release, with one connecting the Bolingbrook bridge and trails south of the DuPage River. Another will connect trails to existing routes in Naperville and DuPage County north of the river.

The preserve district will match the $151,000 for the project, according to executive director Marcella DeMauro.

Bid requests for the work will likely go out later this year, she said, with the project completed by the fall of 2015.

The matching grant is part of a $1 million state investment to develop or improve 42 miles of Illinois bike trails, according to the governor's office.

"This investment will provide more opportunities for people to get out, get healthy and enjoy what Bolingbrook has to offer," Quinn said in the release. "Bicycling is an ideal activity for young and old, and this path will make biking safer and more convenient."

Funds for the program came from the Bicycle Path Grant Program, which is run by the state's Department of Natural Resources, according to the release.

The grant program provides up to 50 percent of the funds needed for such programs.

Will County Preserve District officials did not respond to requests for comment regarding the bike trail grant.

DNR Director Marc Miller said in the release that such projects offer a chance for people to get moving and to boost the economy as well.

"Illinois' growing system of multi-use trails provide Illinois children and families with the perfect opportunity to get outside and connect with nature," he said. "As these new trails are completed, they will provide an economic boost because communities that offer diverse recreational opportunities become more attractive to new families and businesses."

The 249-acre Whalon preserve was acquired by the district between 1992 and 2007, and was the site of a former quarry, according to the district's website.

The preserve protects a variety of habitats, including prairie, wetland, the 80-acre lake and a portion of the DuPage River.