Naperville's Millennium Wall 'not structurally sound'

The Millennium Wall along Naperville's Riverwalk undoubtedly was named for when it was built, not how long it would last.

Crews working on the second segment of the city's Riverwalk rehabilitation project have discovered the 11-year-old wall is not as structurally sound as officials believed.

The wall at the Riverwalk Amphitheater and Labyrinth appears to be leaning to the south and is separating between sections, according to Jan Erickson, Riverwalk administrator.

It was built in 1999 in anticipation of the city's Celebration 2000. The names of more than 2,000 people who contributed to the festival are included on the wall.

The wall was expected to remain unchanged during the second segment of Riverwalk rehabilitation that includes the portion of the walkway between Eagle and Webster streets. But as crews removed trees from the area, they discovered the wall's condition.

Due to its young age, it was not inspected before the rehabilitation work started, Erickson said.

"It really wasn't on the radar to even look at it," she said. "It was really an assumption made by the commission during the design phase that the wall was in good condition."

A committee made up of representatives of the city, park district, Riverwalk Commission, Riverwalk Foundation and Celebration 2000 will come up with possible solutions for fixing the wall and present them to the city council for a final decision.

Erickson said the names on the wall are still intact and assured donors their gifts will not be forgotten.

"Absolutely without a doubt the integrity of those names will be kept," she said. "We will be sure ... anybody whose names are on there will be included in the final solution."

Erickson said she does not expect the wall trouble to slow the rehabilitation project, which is scheduled for completion in August. The plans include widening the lower walkway, refurbishing a stairway, improving handicapped accessibility, redesigning the Youth Plaza and installing new landscaping, sidewalks and lighting.

The Millennium Wall is already part of the fenced-off construction zone, so Erickson said it does not pose any danger to passers-by.