Parks staff outline trail repairs and present Shabana restroom design for grant applications

LaSalle County parks staff gave the committee a detailed maintenance update and showed a preliminary restroom design they plan to use in grant applications. Parks staffer Ken said crews have been largely focused on mowing and addressing erosion on trails after recent heavy rains, and that six to 10 damaged bollards at Catlin will need replacement.

Ken said a design drafted by Kurt would allow a single restroom to serve all pavilions at Shabana, and that the drawing is ready to accompany grant requests. "We have a design for that bathroom. If I were to go to get that grant, I actually have something for it," Ken told the committee. He described pavilion capacities used to size fixtures — two smaller pavilions around 64 each, a large pavilion about 250, and an enclosed pavilion he estimated near 127 — and said the layout could be reduced if the county prefers a smaller building.

Kurt explained fixtures were calculated by adding pavilion occupancies and applying the Illinois plumbing code to assign male and female fixtures. He also described a rear maintenance/service area intended to house pumps and water-treatment equipment for a new well. "You got to take that number and divide it by half per the Illinois plumbing code and assign a certain number of fixtures," Kurt said.

Ken said the restroom would be heated and open year-round. He emphasized grant timing is tied to the county budget: once the budget is approved he will pursue controlled-burn and other grants related to park work. The committee did not make a funding decision at the meeting; members asked staff to consider whether the design could be pared down to reduce costs.