Plan for cross-country course on old Settler's Hill landfill a step closer to reality
With preliminary approval for a $2.98 million construction contract Tuesday, Kane County officials believe they are on the verge of creating the most attractive venue for outdoor running in the region.
The county board's development committee approved the deal, and the full county board must take a final vote. Construction would start on a cross-country course on the old Settler's Hill landfill this spring. The work should take about 18 months before the Geneva venue hosts races with unique viewing angles.
"If you're a parent or want to watch your participant run in the races, you'll basically get a full, 360-degree view of everything," said Ken Anderson, who is overseeing the project for the county. "We have worked very closely with the Chicago Area Track & Field Association to make sure this track will not only be able to run high school events but collegiate events as well. Who knows? Maybe a Northwestern University might think of this as their new home course. You have the potential to create a great entity here."
With tight county budgets for the foreseeable future, a great entity, in the eyes of several county board members, also meant a facility that didn't add new costs.
The price tag for construction is about $700,000 less than expected. The county will actually make money on the clean soil needed to carve out the course on top of the old landfill. Right now, local contractors are paying the county to dump excess soil and clean construction materials from local developments at the old landfill site. That soil will form the course.
"We had originally talked about this five years ago as being a cost to the county," said Kurt Kojzarek, chairman of the development committee. "It's not going to be a cost to the county. It's under budget on all projections. And we'll be using the enterprise fund; so it's not coming out of the annual budget. It looks like we are going to fulfill the promise we made to residents a long time ago when we opened that landfill."
That promise involved transforming the landfill into a community benefit once it closed. The landfill closed about 10 years ago. Since then, it's existed as a power generation facility for Waste Management and an otherwise inaccessible green mound. Critics of the plan believe the landfill should remain as a passive use natural area not a regional attraction.
John Martin, the county board member representing the area where the landfill sits, said the cross-country facility represents the best of both visions. The construction project will add to the parking at the overall campus, which includes the Kane County Forest Preserve District headquarters, Kane County Cougars baseball and the Fox Valley Ice Arena. The new parking setup will allow visitors direct access to a trail that will take them to the top of the previously inaccessible landfill. The peak includes views of downtown Chicago on a clear day.
Martin said that's a win for any fan of nature.
"But for the track, the rest of the area is going to maintained as open area just as it is today," Martin said.