Carpentersville riverfront undergoing makeover this summer

Sections of the Carpentersville riverfront will get a facelift this summer in a project to beautify the area and enhance the recreational use of the Fox River.

A riverwalk, seating areas and native plants are among the improvements included in an ongoing river landscaping project for the village's historic Old Town district. Carpentersville trustees this week approved a $387,754 contract with Copenhaver Construction for the project's second and third phases, which are both anticipated to be complete by mid-September.

In addition to stabilizing the shoreline and improving the habitat, the renovations are expected to provide residents with more space for walking, fishing and other riverfront activities, said Michelle Kelly, principal landscape architect for Upland Design, a Plainfield-based firm.

"It's not just beautifying the river, (and) it's not just a soil erosion control project," she said. "It's also adding recreational value."

The first phase of renovations was completed in 2015 along John "Jack" Hill and Timothy McNamee memorial parks. The project's next steps are intended to mirror those improvements, Public Works Director Bob Cole said in a memo.

The second phase encompasses the riverfront along Washington Street directly south of Timothy McNamee Memorial Park, Kelly said, where two parking lots will be removed and replaced with 11 parallel parking spots and a riverwalk. Picnic tables and benches will also be installed.

"The whole layout is going to work so much better as far as being able to access the river," Kelly said.

The third phase covers the shoreline of the 11 W. Main St. property, owned by Otto Engineering, Inc. and located south of the Main Street bridge. Village officials previously entered into an agreement with Otto that granted them permission to access and make improvements to the riverbank along the company's land.

Improvements for both areas include boulders, limestone outcroppings, trees and landscaped mulch beds, village documents show.

Trustee Kevin Rehberg said residents for years have been driving into Wisconsin for high-quality fishing opportunities.

"Now they'll be able to do it right in their backyards in an area that's cleaned up and easy to access," he said. "These improvements are not a moment too soon."