Elburn seeks site for overpass linking forest preserves
As mentioned last week, Elburn will soon have an Anderson Road bridge that will help residents get over the train tracks if they choose that option instead of Main Street. The village plans to have a ribbon cutting for that historic road extension and bridge during the first week or so of December.
But that's not the only overpass that Village President Dave Anderson and his board have been thinking about.
"We are working really hard on another pedestrian overpass, east of the train station, that will also use a street or bike path to connect Elburn Forest Preserve to Johnson's Mound," Anderson said.
"We are looking at it as perfect for biking or walking or maybe even cross-country skiing," Anderson added. "And it makes Elburn a destination as far as I am concerned."
Johnson's Mound has been a destination for my family for decades, as it is a great place to walk a dog when looping to the north side of the preserve.
But Elburn Forest Preserve provides a wonderful loop for walking or, for the more rugged, as a biking trail. The pavilion and parking lot behind Elburn Co-op serves as a nice starting point, but you can also get on the walking trail by parking in the preserve just past the Fox Valley Wildlife Center.
It's not hard to envision what Anderson is talking about. The trail can simply loop around and bring you back to the wildlife center, or it breaks off heading east toward the pavilion near Elburn Co-op.
A pedestrian bridge at the tracks in or near Elburn Forest Preserve would allow a walker or biker to keep heading toward the paths near Blackberry Creek subdivision and on toward Johnson's Mound.
That train fare: Metra didn't increase fares through the roof this time around, but it's going to cost more to take the rails into Chicago any way you do the math.
Which, again, makes me really pleased that I no longer commute into the city daily, as I did for nearly three years. Some people have been doing it for a decade or longer and it seems as if they should earn an achievement award for that task.
A dry shuffle is OK: Let's get this out of the way first, even though it doesn't match the "Snowflake" name in this event: I just hope it is dry and with no, or low, winds.
If that's the case, I will have no problem participating in TriCity Family Service's seventh annual Snowflake Shuffle 5K and 10K event on Dec. 5 at Mill Creek Golf Club.
No, I'm not a runner, but my wife and I have walked in this event many times before and it's always fun to help the agency. The 10K portion of the event is new this year, so those who like longer winter jaunts will have a local place to do it.
Of the six past events, I can remember one in which the event lived up to its name with a heavy snow. Otherwise, it has been cold, but never bone-chilling. The event is open to all ages, and participants can sign up right up to registration time of 7 a.m. on race day up until the races start at 9 a.m.
Registration is also taken at tricityfamilyservices.org.
After a night of holiday celebrating at the Geneva Christmas Walk on Third Street on Dec. 4, the Snowflake Shuffle is a good way to spend the next morning.
All for dough: In this age of smartphones and tablets, it's good to see that kids are still offered a chance to play with one of my all-time favorites as a youngster - dough. Sometimes it was just clay, but most often it was Play-Doh.
Geneva Public Library has a "Play with Dough" session from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Dec. 22, a day when school is out. This one is offered to "all ages."
I fall into the "all ages" category, but that has to mean all ages of kids, right? It would be tempting, but I'm thinking my boss wouldn't like me leaving a voice mail saying I couldn't work that day because of a chance to play with dough.
• dheun@sbcglobal.net