Politics & Government
Geneva Park District Offers More Details of Island Park Work, Trail Detour
Bridge construction scheduled to begin in June.
The Geneva Park District received an Illinois Transportation Enhancement Grant to replace the north bridge at Island Park, which, along with the Fox River Trail will remain open through June 11.
Construction begins and the park will be closed on June 15, with the work expected to conclude in late fall 2012.
In the interest of safety, the construction will requires the re-routing of the Fox River Bike Trail as well as complete park closure, including the pavilion, playground and restrooms. The trail detour will be clearly marked and a map of the detour is available online at www.genevaparks.org.
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In addition to the bridge replacement, the park district will be conducting a variety of upgrades to Island Park including: replacing the playground equipment, the addition of a zip line, removing unhealthy ash trees, and performing structural and safety improvements to the pavilion and overlook area, which is used primarily for the district’s summer concert in the park series.
The 2012 Summer Concerts in the Park will be moved to Sunset Park and will resume at Island Park in 2013. On Sept. 2-3, Island Park will open for a limited time to host the Fox Valley Folk Festival.
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The north bridge at Island Park was constructed in 1931 and has been exhibiting structural deficiencies and compromise at several locations due to its age and deterioration of concrete. This project is being partially funded with over $700,000 in grant funding from the Illinois Department of Transportation.
The new bridge will be structurally updated while maintaining the historic integrity of the park. The new design includes lookouts on each side that will allow trail and park users the opportunity to stop and admire wildlife and nature without disrupting the flow of traffic along the Fox River Trail.
"This project is extremely important to the community and to the Geneva Park District. This bridge is a vital link to the 100-plus mile long Fox River Trail network and a critical point near the confluence of the Fox River Trail and the Illinois Prairie Path. To keep everyone’s safety a priority, we feel re-routing the Fox River Trail is essential,” park district Executive Director Sheavoun Lambillotte said.
For more information, please visit www.genevaparks.org or call (630) 232-4542.
