Batavia parks getting state money for restroom, playground improvements

A popular Batavia park will soon get flush toilets, thanks to the Batavia Park District being awarded a grant from state legislators.

The district announced Thursday that it will receive $250,000 in member funding initiative money for the restroom at Engstrom Family Park and improvements to a playground at the Batavia Riverwalk.

State Rep. Matt Hanson said during a recent park board meeting that his office is near Engstrom and that he often sees lines to use the portable toilets there.

“There’s always a demand there,” he said. “That park is used by so many.”

The Riverwalk playground will get grass surfacing, while maintaining accessibility for children with disabilities.

The Riverwalk in the downtown is the district’s most heavily used park, according to a community needs assessment done by the park district in 2025. That survey also said that 22% of respondents cited “lack of restrooms” as a reason they didn’t visit the district’s parks.

Engstrom is the second most used. The 14-acre park is located at Main Street and Millview Drive. It has a playground, a baseball diamond, a soccer field, a walking path, and a picnic shelter. It is also where crowds gather to watch the Fourth of July fireworks show.

“These upgrades will help two of the park district’s most popular parks provide much-needed amenities,” Allison Niemela, the park district’s executive director, said in a news release. “Engstrom Family Park is the site of soccer and softball games and its playground is a popular destination for families.”

The district also announced that state Rep. Martha Hirschauer has committed $200,000 toward a city and park district watershed repair project at H. Michael Wild Park, and that state Sen. Karina Villa has committed $100,000 for infrastructure projects.