Residents raise county takeover idea for I&M Canal boat as owner weighs sale

At the Sept. 19, 2025, meeting of the LaSalle County Tourism Board, board member Ally Brayboy raised a public suggestion that the county consider taking ownership of the I&M Canal boat. The item came during the public-comment portion of the meeting; the board did not take formal action.

The suggestion prompted a detailed update from a speaker identifying themselves as a representative of the Canal Corridor Association, which the speaker said is a 501(c)(3) that owns the boat. The representative said the association paid nearly $1 million for the boat and that the boat is insured for about $1 million, but that the overall local project — including the dock, a renovated visitor center and related studies — cost about $2.8 million. The representative said the association received about $400,000 through the U.S. Department of Transportation and raised the remainder privately.

That speaker said the association is carrying debt and therefore must sell the boat rather than give it away, and that an appraiser is being engaged and will provide a market-value estimate in a few weeks. “We can’t give away our assets if we have debt,” the Canal Corridor Association representative said.

Board members asked operational and infrastructure questions. William Brown asked whether the city had paid for the boat; the association representative replied that the city of LaSalle helped with reports and some insurance costs but did not provide purchase funds. Board member Brian Dose asked who maintains the canal; the representative said the Illinois Department of Natural Resources maintains most of the I&M Canal unless a municipality has an agreement. The representative described navigation problems caused by silt and a leaking aqueduct that was filled with dirt years ago, leaving sections of the canal shallow and occasionally causing the boat to get stuck.

The speaker described other operational constraints: the access road and mule pen flood, there is no dry dock to store or repair the vessel in winter, and portions of the canal currently carry only inches of water in spots. The representative said the boat is “in the water about 15 inches” where it normally sits, and that water depth at the dock “could be 6 or 7 feet” although the speaker did not provide exact measurements. The representative also said the DNR pumps water into the canal in dry conditions; local DNR staff have been responsive to maintenance requests such as fallen trees.

The association representative also discussed the two mules used in the attraction, saying Moe is retired and Larry — purchased last year — is a potential sale asset; some community members have offered to donate or to provide medication funding for Moe. The representative said they have received inquiries about both mules and expect to find suitable homes.

No motion was made and no vote was taken on county acquisition or any other formal action. The association representative said an appraisal and further insurance information are forthcoming; board members did not direct staff to pursue acquisition during the meeting.

Why it matters: the I&M Canal boat is described as an existing local attraction that could generate visitor revenue but is constrained by debt, insurance costs and canal infrastructure limits. Any transfer of ownership or public acquisition would hinge on the association’s appraisal, debt status and the board’s future deliberations.