Geneva park welcomes Chimney Swift tower to aid in mosquito control
At first glance, it was hard to tell exactly what we were looking at. It almost seemed out of place — just a tall, brown tower sitting in a part of Wheeler Park in Geneva.
Knowing that Mount St. Mary Park in St. Charles had years ago introduced a “Sculpture in the Park” program through the park district, maybe this was the start of a similar process unfolding in Wheeler Park?
But the Geneva Park District likely would have been shouting that from the rooftops if that were the case, plus sculptures scattered throughout that park would never happen. Wheeler Park has a popular disc golf course on its grounds.
Upon further review, known as actually looking at the information plate on the structure, we learned the piece was a Chimney Swift tower, constructed as an Eagle Scout project by Benjamin Wagner of Troop 37 in Geneva.
Still, would everyone know what that really meant? I sure didn’t. So, it took a little more investigating to find out what a great idea this was — and that plenty of folks find the chimney swift to be a fascinating bird.
Even Ken Kerfoot, the assistant superintendent of parks for the Geneva Park District, had to do his research about the Chimney Swift before approving a tower for the park.
“In looking up more information about them, you learn they are a beneficial bird that eats a lot of insects, the nuisance type ones (mosquitoes) and they like to live near a water source like a river,” said Kerfoot, whose job description includes being the park district’s liaison for Eagle Scout projects within the park system.
“They like to nest in chimneys, so the Chimney Swift tower resembles a chimney,” Kerfoot noted. “We had talked about this project internally, and we also had one placed in Peck Farm Park over the past summer from another Eagle Scout troop.”
Through his research, Kerfoot also learned Chimney Swifts aren’t like humans in automatically following that now popular adage “build it and they will come.” These birds take their time about choosing a chimney to nest in.
“Sometimes, when these are built, the Chimney Swifts will find them early, other times it might take two or three years,” he noted.
That reminded me of my childhood when my father thought it would be a good idea to join the trend of the day by building a Purple Martin house in our backyard, under the same premise — that they eat mosquitoes by the thousands. Purple Martins never took the bait. Instead, my dad would climb up to the Purple Martin house and clean out sparrow nests. Until he got tired of doing that and let the sparrows have their way.
Still, the hope is Chimney Swifts will make their way into the Wheeler Park tower at some point, rather than possibly nesting in a chimney they don’t belong in.
“They really are a mosquito killer that doesn’t call for us to send out a public notice about spraying,” Kerfoot said.
Wagner’s project started last summer and was completed in early fall, with the placard being placed in October of 2024.
“We have individuals stop by the Wheeler Park maintenance facility and ask about the tower,” Kerfoot said, confirming others’ curiosity. “It is something very unique in many ways because Eagle Scout projects carry a range of ideas. Many can be (dedication) benches in a park, but the Chimney Swift tower is something different.”
The Cornell Lab’s “All About Birds” website tells us a Chimney Swift is a small bird with a slender tube-shaped body with long, narrow, curved wings and a short tail. They are dark gray-brown overall, but with a “slightly paler throat.”
These birds fly fast with stiff wingbeats and almost no bend at the wrist, while often producing a “chittering call” while in flight, the site notes.
Many people know this, so much so that a private Facebook group called “Chimney Swifts in the Fox Valley and beyond” provides a ton of information about the birds as well as the group’s efforts as advocates for the artificial Chimney Swift towers.
In fact, the group asks members and others to keep it informed about the locations of new towers or any known efforts to remove one that may have active roosting or nesting Chimney Swifts.
Essentially, as this group has expanded outside of the Fox Valley region and has goals of being a statewide organization, it continues to operate under its mantra of “Let’s help conserve the Chimney Swift by working together.”
Eagle Scout Benjamin Wagner and the Geneva Park District have done just that.
Digital mental health site
New digital tools to help teens and adults address mental health or substance abuse concerns represent a logical — and beneficial — advancement in this type of care.
The Kane County Health Department sees it that way as it has launched Behavioral Health 360, a free, confidential website for teens and adults, as well as mental health providers for use as a supplement to in-person care.
The health department positions this digital tool as an educational starting point or first actions for those in need of reliable information and guidance.
The tool is available at all hours, every day, offering information, videos and assessments.
The site offers coping techniques to manage stress, anxiety, addiction, depression and other mental health concerns. It also provides information about treatment centers, support groups and crisis centers in Kane County.
Information about, or to use, Behavioral Health 360 is available at kanehealth.com.
The cheese is here
The grilled cheese lovers are already singing the praises of the recently opened Everdine’s Grilled Cheese Co. at 227 W. Wilson Street in Batavia.
This restaurant has operated out of Naperville for several years now, and that’s where Batavia Mayor Jeff Schielke and his wife took a ride for a taste test of Everdine’s three years ago.
After the visit to the Naperville location on Jefferson Avenue, the mayor was quickly convinced that his town would embrace this business as an addition to downtown. Of course, Everdine’s had indicated an interest in Batavia, thus sending the mayor on his taste-and-see mission.
If you are wondering how many different types of grilled cheese sandwiches can be offered at a place like Everdine’s, wonder no more. The menu is loaded with different choices, from a traditional grilled cheese to sandwiches called the turkey meltdown, the spicy smoky cheesy bacon, the sloppy Mack, the homemade sloppy Joan, and many others.
There are just as many positive comments about the soup offerings at Everdine’s, as well as its option of gluten-free bread.
Pull into this depot
We know our local history museums tell us plenty of stories about local history. That’s what they are supposed to do.
But Batavia Depot Museum has a different twist unfolding with a free reception from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 28, in revealing a spring exhibit about itself — “The Museum a Community Built,” which celebrates the Depot’s 50th anniversary.
The exhibit runs from March 1 through July 20 and tells the story of how Batavians came together to raise funds and create a museum out of a train depot that originally sat on the east side and opened to travelers in 1855.
After years of work, starting in 1960, through the Batavia Historical Society and Batavia Park District, the depot was renovated and moved to its current location at Water and Houston streets.
It was the perfect place to store the city’s historical photos, documents and other artifacts. A community parade gathered to watch the depot move to its new home in October of 1973.
Two years later, on April 12, 1975, the Batavia Depot Museum was open to the public. And here we are 50 years later, with the story of this extraordinary community effort on display for all of us to see.
For all things maple
Now this is sugar, not the “added sugars” you see listed on food labels.
This is sugar from “back in the day.” Way back.
The Forest Preserve District of Kane County is hosting its Maple Sugaring Days event from noon to 3 p.m. March 1 and 2 at LeRoy Oakes Forest Preserve in St. Charles.
Those who have attended know this is the place to see how sap is tapped from a maple tree, simmered over a fire and converted to syrup. Attendees can buy syrup, or maple sundaes, maple-glazed doughnuts and other items.
This year, in celebrating the forest preserve district’s 100th anniversary, the Riverlands Brewing Company will have a craft brew with maple syrup available to purchase.
No registration is required for this free event. Just a curiosity about maple sugar and, well, a taste for it.
LeRoy Oakes Forest Preserve is at 37W700 Dean St.
• dheun@sbcglobal.net