A rain garden is set to be the latest addition to the banks of the Fox River in North Aurora this spring thanks to an effort by the nonprofit group North Aurora River District Alliance.
The rain garden follows the 2013 creation of Water Wonders, a 125-foot stream that collects rainwater harvested from village hall. The water is diverted into a cistern and pumped to the top of the stream. Built through a grant from the Kane County Riverboat Fund Program, the stream is adorned with rocks, waterfalls, and native plants.
“In the summertime, it is a nice place for kids to visit,” Jennifer Duncan, the chairman of North Aurora River District Alliance, said. “It only takes them about two seconds to look at the stream, take off their shoes and socks, and begin playing and splashing in the water,” she added.
Duncan and Julie Simpson, the chairman of North Aurora River District Alliance from 2009 to 2013, along with a crew of residents, originally began their quest to redevelop the area as part of a Village of North Aurora riverfront committee back in 2008. The interest stemmed in part based on the results of an extensive feasibility study of the area, Duncan added.
“We feel like the area is the hub of North Aurora,” Duncan who also serves as cochairman of the North Aurora Village Plan Commission said.
Likewise, Simpson said the group formed because they “felt the area had been untapped and underutilized.”
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“Many cyclists would ride along the Fox River Trail through the area, but few were stopping to enjoy themselves,” she added.
“We wanted to have programs and events that would draw people to the area and appreciate how beautiful it is,” Duncan said.
Formed as a nonprofit in 2009, North Aurora River District Alliance works in close collaboration with both the Village of North Aurora and the Fox Valley Park District, which owns much of the land in North Aurora along the Fox River.
The soon-to-be-installed rain garden will be designed to capture rainwater runoff and be comprised of native plants and grasses. Funded through a ComEd grant, the garden also will include interpretative signage about how to install a home rain garden.
Other communities along the Fox River such as Yorkville and Montgomery already have rain gardens in place, Duncan said. “Hopefully, we can get a chain of them along the Fox River.”
Both the rain garden and the stream were built with an emphasis on being friendly to the environment–something that unites the members of North Aurora River District Alliance, Simpson said.
The group also hosts events in both the summer and the winter. During the warmer months, North Aurora River District Alliance hosts concerts and in the winter, the group sponsors Evergreen Holidays, where different local organizations decorate lighted trees on a path along the riverfront.
In addition to seeking grants, the group raises funds through an annual Duck Race fundraiser that follows the North Aurora Community Parade and an annual 5k/10K.
“When we formed, we made our goals to be environmentally-friendly, fiscally-responsible, and in tune with the needs of the village.”
In addition, Duncan said, “We have a lot of fun.”
Cathy Janek is a freelance writer.