Park District, City Look For River Street Changes After Demolition

The look of River Street near downtown has slowly started to change this year, and officials hope it will be for the better.

The Batavia Park District in February had three houses demolished along River Street. By mid-March, the park finished leveling the ground and planting grass.

These areas will eventually become a shelter, a bike trail connection and more.

“We’re hoping Mother Nature will allow us to grow some good grass on the land,” said Jim Eby, Director of Planning and Development.

Gimme Shelter

An anonymous Batavia resident donated the house at 217 S. River St. to the Park District to build a shelter in honor of one of the homeowners, Spud Murphy. The Park District hopes to have the shelter ready for the spring or summer of 2012, Eby said.

Funding for the project will be included in the Park District’s May budget.

“We’re grateful to the benefactor for thinking of us and deciding they’d like to donate to us," Eby said.

The 20 ft. x 20 ft. four posted-, metal sheet-roofed shelter will have two picnic tables. The picnic tables will sit on top of a small concrete slab.

The plans for the shelter will be similar to other shelters designed by the Park District, Eby said.

“We’d like to add more native trees like oaks and hickory trees and shrubs to the site,” he said.

The park district also plans to connect the street level to the shelter and the bicycle path, which runs right along the Fox River, said Michelle Kelley of Upland Design Limited, a Plainfield-based landscape architecture firm. The company will help the park district design the shelter.

Back to Nature

Down the road, the Park District plans to build a new trailhead to link the River Street sidewalk to the bicycle trail at the now-vacant 103 S. River St. lot, located at Webster and South River streets. The city purchased this lot and the lot at 227 S. River St.

The access way to the street level for bicycles will eliminate the need for pedestrians and bicyclists to cut through the big parking lot behind the Valley Community Bank site to enter into the trail, Eby said.

The park district will utilize the rest of the lots to keep an open view of the Fox River. Bicyclists will have a nice view down to the bicycle trail, Eby said. 

“It’s opened up space to the river, (creating) a better view of the corridor,” Eby said.

South Elgin-based A1 Fowler Inc. demolished the four houses in February after the Park District awarded them a $36,450 contract.

More In Store

The city tore down the building formerly known as Linnea’s Hair Salon, 12 S. River St. It was previously on the market for $1.

“(There are) no proposals at this point," said Jerry Swanson, director of Community Development. "(We’re) holding onto it for future redevelopment at the corner of South River and Wilson Streets. (Demolition) will enhance the visibility for motorists on South River Street. We’ve had a hard time even seeing the river.”