Forest Preserve District of Will County officials laid out a road map for the coming year that focuses on enhancing visitor services, expanding smaller programs and offering online permits.
Last year, in the midst of an administrative reorganization and downsizing, the district eliminated several larger-scale events — such as Cruise the Creek and Ride the Rock — to focus on smaller programs at more preserves.
The Forest Preserve District will continue to expand and experiment with local events, such as Food Truck Fridays, Music in the Moonlight Concert Series and a Wellness Walking Series.
It also will continue to shift educational programs and amenities from the Environmental Learning Center in Mokena to the larger, more accessible Four Rivers Environmental Center in Channahon. When its budget allows, camping facilities also will be moved to Channahon, and the Mokena facility will be closed.
Winter recreational programs also will be moved from Monee Reservoir in Monee Township to Plum Creek Nature Center in Crete Township, and the concession stand in Monee will be closed from Jan. 15 to Feb. 28.
The new plan also includes:
*Major restoration projects at Prairie Bluff Preserve in Crest Hill and Lockport Prairie Nature Preserve in Lockport with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Messenger Woods Nature Preserve in Homer Glen, Thorn Creek Headwaters Preserve in University Park/Monee Township, Kankakee Sands Preserve in Custer Township and Hadley Valley Preserve in Homer Glen and Joliet.
*A new regional trail connection linking the DuPage River Trail and Rock Run Greenway Trail in Shorewood and Joliet, and several smaller preserve enhancement projects at Hammel Woods — DuPage River Access, Veterans Woods and the Hammel Woods Dog Park.
*Water Ways, a traveling exhibit sponsored by the Smithsonian Institution and Illinois Humanities, at Four Rivers from Jan. 28 to March 11.
*A new website that offers online program registration and permitting for dog parks, picnics and camping.
*Improving the parking lot and roadway at Hickory Creek Barrens Nature Preserve in New Lenox, the parking lots at Lower Rock Run Preserve in Joliet, and Veterans Woods in Romeoville, and segments of the DuPage River Trail in Hammel Woods in Shorewood and the Lake Renwick Bikeway in Plainfield.
*Adding one or two additional part-time community service officers in direct response to the increased number of dog parks and permit holders.
*Launching a new financial software system to improve tracking and reporting.
Forest Preserve District officials also discussed its legislative agenda for the coming year and hope to keep alive state grant opportunities, as well as efforts to transfer 135 acres of open space on the site of the shuttered Joliet Correctional Center, 1125 Collins St., to the district.
The district received one of three grants it was promised last year — $400,000 to improve the Plum Valley Preserve — and officials hope the state will release two others, to install a bikeway along the DuPage River and replace the longhouse at Isle ala Cache in Romeoville.
The Collins Street Task Force was created several years ago to repurpose the buildings and grounds when the correctional center was closed by the state in 2002.
Over the years, the group discussed a lot of good ideas, including recreational uses, said Forest Preserve District Commissioner Herbert Brooks Jr., D-Joliet, a task force member.
Ballfields, a park and historical tours have all been talked about, but transferring the 135 acres on the east side of Collins Street to the Forest Preserve District might require dealing with a lot of red tape, he said.
With nothing happening due to the political stalemate in Springfield, Brooks said he does not expect action on a possible transfer soon.
According to Ralph Schultz, the district’s chief operating officer, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency first has to ensure the site is not contaminated, then it would require legislation to transfer the ownership to the Forest Preserve District from the Illinois Department of Corrections.
“It’s unique property, with a lot of potential,” said Brent Hassert, the district’s legislative consultant. “It has some problems, but we can work through that.”
District officials also recommended that they renew their contract with Hassert for one more year, at a rate of $3,000 per month.
They decided not to renew their contract with federal lobbyists Smith, Dawson and Andrews because there are no federal legislative initiatives in the works. The contract expires at the end of February.
The full Board of Commissioners will take formal action on both the administrative plan and legislative agenda at its Thursday meeting.
slafferty@tribpub.com
