Now it's officially The Itasca Riverwalk

Itasca officials are calling it as they see it. Literally.

The village's Riverwalk, Parks and Landscape design committee agreed Tuesday to officially name Itasca's new riverwalk "The Itasca Riverwalk."

Although it is under construction, the concrete-surfaced riverwalk will ultimately include lighting, decorative features and signage. It will run adjacent to Spring Brook Creek from the area southeast of Irving Park Road and I-355 to Walnut Street.

The committee also agreed on Tuesday to pay approximately $4,000 for double-sided signs that will line the riverwalk and pay a $5,000 application fee for a grant from the Department of Natural Resources.

The grant application is due next month and, if Itasca is approved, the village would receive $75,000 to use for the second phase of riverwalk construction that is budgeted at $250,000.

Workers are constructing the first phase of the riverwalk, which focuses primarily on acquiring land and creating the main walkways, said Village Administrator David Williams. Construction on the $1.5 million phase began last fall, said Williams, but it is still not complete due to weather-related delays like flooding last fall and our harsh winter.

"They can only do so much when the ground is frozen," Williams said.

He added that officials hope to see the main riverwalk complete by the end of this spring. But future phases, which will include adding features like a children's exploration garden, could potentially last several construction seasons, Williams said.

On Tuesday committee members agreed to complete only the first phase of riverwalk construction, while putting the second phase on hold so Itasca's finances are available for other issues that may arise, such as road repairs or flooding. But the village will commission plans for the second phase from Naperville-based Hitchcock Design Group, though officials say it won't likely be completed until 2010.

Trustee Tom Reynolds also said he wants to see if the village earns a grant before earmarking Itasca's own funds.

"I want to make sure we're keeping the horse in front of the cart," Reynolds said. "I agree with the (riverwalk) master plan 100 percent, but we don't have to do the master plan consecutively."