Alderman: state funding will pay most of Mastodon Lake dredging; Phillips Park foundation forming

Alderman Ted Meziakos said a state representative has secured roughly $4,000,000 from Springfield that will cover the majority of the cost to dredge Mastodon Lake, and he said the city will also add landscape improvements as part of the project.

"We are gonna dredge Mastodon Lake, here starting late late June, early July," Meziakos said during a City of Aurora Meet Your Aldermen interview. He said a state representative who is also a 3rd Ward resident helped bring the funds from Springfield.

Meziakos described the lake work as part of broader improvements to Phillips Park, where the Phillips Park Foundation — which he said he helped start with former Alderman Bob O'Connor — is raising support and donations for beautification and long‑term upkeep. "It's been a labor of love," he said of the foundation's work.

Meziakos did not provide a formal budget breakdown beyond the $4,000,000 figure he attributed to the state representative, nor did the interview include an official city staff spokesperson or a written grant document. He said the dredging and added landscape features aim to preserve what he described as "a gem of the city" and to make the park more attractive for walking, biking and community events.

The alderman said early media coverage and community donations already are showing support for the foundation. He did not specify permit, environmental review or contractor timelines beyond the planned late‑June/early‑July start window. City residents seeking details or formal approvals should look for announcements from the City of Aurora and relevant municipal departments.