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Nature center purchases, benches and pond stocking discussed as park winter work continues
Summary
Parks staff reported winter maintenance and small capital purchases for the county nature center, including new forklift forks for equipment, a hot water heater and filter installation, planned bench installations, a prospective donation of 200 fish and prairie restoration work at Catlin.
LaSalle County parks staff updated the Property Committee on winter maintenance and small capital purchases at the county nature center and associated properties, and described several planned spring projects.
Ken, a county facilities staff member, told the committee the parks team bought forks for a Kubota to move picnic tables, installed a small hot-water heater and particulate filter in the nature center, and is arranging concrete pads to install donated benches in early spring. He said four benches are ready to be installed and a fifth may be added.
Ken also described an offer from a biologist who wants to donate 200 fish for the nature-center ponds. ‘‘He is a biologist, so he knows all about the correct type of fish to get, and he knows the population of the ponds as it is,’’ Ken said; he added he would match the donation. The county said the fish would likely come through the local conservation district as the donor had previously used that source.
On habitat work, Ken said he has sought bids for controlled burns at Catlin and plans herbicide, seeding and mowing to restore about five acres of pasture to prairie; similar work is planned at another five-acre area at Catlin. He said the restoration work was included in his budget and he hoped to do the work this spring if costs align with the planned budget.
Committee members asked about Internet access at the park; staff said Mediacom service is present on a nearby pole and they will continue asking the provider about a connection into the park, while also monitoring federal and state broadband programs for rural connections.
No formal committee action was taken; staff asked the committee to accept the updates and proceed with the planned small purchases and maintenance work.
