LaSalle County parks staff propose cameras, parking upgrades and accessibility changes at Shabana and Catlin parks

Parks staff told the LaSalle County Property Committee on Feb. 8 that winter and recent incidents at Shabana Park have prompted plans to deter vandalism and vehicle damage, and that Catlin Park will need parking and accessibility upgrades tied to an upcoming building project.

Ken (parks staff) said recent problems at Shabana included vehicles driving on turf and one stolen trash receptacle. To prevent future theft and illegal removal, he proposed adding roughly 80 pounds of ballast in the bottoms of park garbage cans and keeping dollies in park bathrooms for guests with reservations to move them if needed. “We're gonna put about 80 pounds in the bottom, so you're not gonna be able to take them,” he said.

Ken described a preferred camera system that uses cellular-connected trail-style cameras with solar panels and a central base station so images upload to the cloud rather than relying solely on SD cards. He said a four-camera kit suitable for Shabana would cost about a grand and that Catlin might require four to eight cameras but could probably use four because of one primary entrance. “That setup ... it's relatively expensive for about 4 cameras. It's about a grand,” he said. He added the cameras can be daisy-chained on the cellular network and have solar backups to reduce battery changes.

Committee discussion covered ancillary steps: posting “stay off grass” signs, installing bollards and dedicating gravel parking areas to keep vehicles off turf, and placement height for cameras to deter tampering while still capturing license plates. Gary asked whether visible solar panels might encourage vandalism; Ken said cameras could be placed high enough to make removal difficult and that in many cases an attempt to remove them would itself be captured on video.

Catlin Park work: Ken outlined staging to create a parking lot for a modular building. He said the plan includes moving equipment storage, graveling a lot, and building accessible concrete for ADA-compliant access to the building’s entrance. For a separate park amenity, staff reported the existing wooden handicap horse ramp is in poor repair; Ken said replacing it with an aluminum ramp would cost about $3,000, while building a wooden ramp would be roughly half that. He suggested evaluating actual use before committing to the full replacement.

Seeding and prairie restoration: Ken said he is seeking a Truax-style no-till drill (about 8-foot size) to seed five acres at Catlin and five acres at Shabana; if rental equipment is unavailable, he may hire a contractor. He asked committee members for leads; one committee member suggested a private contact, John Garrity, who maintains a drill used for prairie seedings.

Internet at Catlin: John (staff) reported two recent requests to bring Starlink internet service to Catlin’s building; he said installation equipment costs about $1,500 and monthly service about $140, and that a local installer (Fisic Electric) works with Starlink installations. He plans to consult the installer before purchasing equipment.

The committee approved payment of parks bills during the meeting. Ken said he has funds in his budget to cover initial camera purchases. Staff will return with cost estimates and implementation plans for parking, cameras, ramp replacement and seeding.

Why it matters: the proposals seek to protect park assets, reduce maintenance costs from off-road driving, and make a new building at Catlin accessible and usable year-round.