Parks staff briefed the LaSalle County Property Committee on Sept. 26 about recent activity and small capital work at county parks.

Staff reported installing an electric fence between county property and a neighbor to keep cattle contained, replacing broken fence posts, and ongoing mowing and maintenance of natural areas seeded earlier in the season. A new horse step (stoop) to aid public access was assembled with volunteer help; staff expect to add gravel to finalize the access point. Parks were used recently for several events, including soil-and-water district activities, a cross-country meet held by Ottawa High School, and a wedding at Chavinah Park.

Staff said the cross-country course will be used by Illinois Valley Community College (IVCC) in the coming season and that course length and routing are still being finalized with coaches because distances and elevation affect race layouts. Tourism staff have included Catlin and Chavinah parks in recent advertising, including rack cards and a commercial that has been distributed to regional visitor outlets.

Committee members asked for photos of the new horse step when complete and confirmed there were no questions about typical maintenance bills for the parks. The committee approved payment of parks-related invoices by voice vote during the meeting.