River Bend Community Park Opens in Valley View

With a snip of the shears St. Charles Park District officially opened its newest park—River Bend Community Park.

Dozens of area residents turned out Wednesday night for the official opening, which included food, Frisbees and fun. Families, many with their four-legged friends, frolicked across the fields.

The evening also included a water balloon fight to beat the high temperatures.

The new park sits on 50 acres of land once occupied by a juvenile detention center. The St. Charles Park District, working with residents, and other governmental agencies, including the Kane County Forest Preserve, worked together to reclaim the land for the community and establish the park.

“This park is a jewel in our community,” said Chuck Ingersoll, president of the River Bend Community Group.

Ingersoll said the park is everything residents of the Valley View area wanted.

Jim Breen, former director of the St. Charles Park District, said establishing a park in that part of town was overdue. During his 19 years at the park district he wanted to see something for residents in that corner of town, but the park district never had the land, he said.

With help from state legislators the park district was able to buy the land for $4 million. The district utilized several grants to raze the detention center buildings and landscape the new park.

“It is a testament to public appeal, government responsiveness, and community partnerships working together to achieve a goal and surpassing expectations,” Ray Ochromowicz, the current park district director, said in a press release.

River Bend Community Park, located at Courier and Geneva Avenues, just off Route 25, includes a play area, basketball and tennis courts and covered picnic area. The park also offers soccer fields, biking trails and picnic groves, a skate park and tennis courts, fishing piers and a dog park.