Dreamway Trail officially open in Barrington

The ribbon-cutting for the newly refurbished "Joe Kelsch Sr. Dreamway Trail" took place Saturday in Barrington.

The trail, about 1.5 miles round-trip, runs alongside the restored Flint Creek from Langendorf Park to Barrington High School. This portion of Flint Creek now has improved streambed with newly installed native plants and trees and a new path for biking and walking.

The project was a finalist for the Governor's Cup Award and earned an award from the American Public Works Association this year. It was a collaborative effort between the village, the Barrington Park District, the Barrington Area Unit 220 School District and local conservation nonprofits.

The trail is named after Joe Kelsh Sr., a champion of the Flint Creek Watershed and former school board president for District 220 who died in 2017. More than 25 volunteers gave 1,250 hours to the project, funded by a $516,000 Illinois Environmental Protection Agency grant and local money.

"This project truly highlights what can be accomplished through the hard work and passion of dedicated volunteers and also illustrates the tremendous value of intergovernmental partnerships," Village President Karen Darch said.