High water in Fox forces Batavia to push back duck race
Since when is a river too high for a duck?
When it is a yellow plastic duck, and a contestant in a promotional race where the duck's owner could win a Wii, restaurant gift certificates or other prizes in Batavia.
The "Chuck the Duck" Derby was supposed to happen Saturday during Windmill City Festival. "Chuck the Duck" was dreamed up by Batavia MainStreet, a group that promotes the health of downtown Batavia, to promote patronage of Batavia businesses during the recent reconstruction of the Wilson Street bridge. People were encouraged to look for hidden ducks around downtown (although some were hidden out by Randall Road businesses, too).
A firefighter on the race committee suggested, about three weeks ago, moving the race date back, for the safety of people who will be standing in the current and catching the ducks at Clark Island. Higher water volumes make for swifter currents, particularly with the coffer dams still in place for bridge construction, according to Britta McKenna, MainStreet's director.
Instead, the ducks will be dropped into the Fox River at 3 p.m. Aug. 30 as part of a celebration of Batavia's 175th anniversary. People who have one of the ducks can register it from noon to 2:45 p.m. the day of the race, or the week prior at the Batavia Public Library, 10 S. Batavia Ave.
And no, "Chuck the Duck" does not mean you get to chuck the duck into the river yourself. The committee will release all the ducks at one time, most likely near the canoe portage south of the dam and north of the Batavia Government Center. The ducks are named after the mascot for Batavia's Harold Hall Quarry Beach.
There are some rules, even for a duck race. You can't alter the structure of the duck in any way, such as with weights, sails or motors, to make it faster. You don't need to be present to win. And there is no guarantee you will get your duck back at the end of the race. Race officials will do their best to try to grab all the ducks as they float past Clark Island.
Prizes will be awarded at the September meeting of the Batavia City Council.
Five hundred of the ducks were hidden, and McKenna thinks they have all been found. Some were hidden in geocaches; one family following the coordinates found all five of those in one night. They had some explaining to do to Batavia police, she said, about why they were out looking around the Batavia Depot Museum at night with flashlights.
More details and all the rules will be available by Aug. 1 at www.bridgingbatavia.com and on the city of Batavia's Web site for 175th Anniversary information at www.cityofbatavia.net. For more information call Batavia MainStreet at (630) 761-3528.