Kane Co. to open Settler's Hill cross-country course next summer
Having overcome setbacks with drainage, design and a lack of dirt to create a cross-country course at the former Settler's Hill landfill in Geneva, Kane County officials are eyeing late summer 2020 for the first of what they hope are many races.
County and forest preserve district officials recently scooted around the nearly finished course with officials from the Chicago Area Track and Field Organizing committee.
The organization has a 10.5-year contract to market, manage and operate the facility. With one more year to let the grass grow in, the course will accommodate eight race lengths ranging from a 2K for middle school runners, to 6K and 8K collegiate distances, up to the 10K distances commonly run for charitable causes.
Al Edgecombe, secretary for the organizing committee, told county officials in 2015 he envisioned as many as five events at the new course in its first year of operation. The goal is to start there and grow to 12 events by year 10. Edgecombe is already eyeing national events for the course.
"This is fabulous," Edgecombe said after the tour. "It really is satisfying to see it come to this point. It's unbelievable. When runners see the view from here, they are going to be enamored. This was my dream back in 2011."
The 360-degree view from the 150-foot summit of the hill allows spectators to watch runners through about three-fourths of the 35-acre course.
The absence of trees also provides runners with a better view of the competition than they'd normally see when running through forest preserves. The backdrop provides a line of sight all the way to a portion of Willis Tower on a clear day.
John Martin, the county board member who represents the district where the new course sits, said those three features will make Settler's Hill a regional attraction.
"I think the only secret to the success of this course is to get people up here for the first time," Martin said. "It's something that's really unique."
If it lives up to the billing, the course is on track to fulfill a promise the county made to Geneva when it first opened the landfill - that it would transform into an exciting attraction after the site stopped collecting trash. It closed in 2006.
A second goal was to complete the project under its $4 million budget.
The final receipts are not yet tallied, but Martin said he believes the numbers will be close despite the county board recently earmarking an additional $300,000 for the course.
The final goal is for the course not to turn into a money pit.
Financial projections initially showed it would run at a deficit for the first 10 years. Selling the naming rights to Northwestern Medicine and inking the no-cost agreement with the organizing committee put the course back on track to turn a modest profit by year four.