Knoch Knolls Nature Center Grand Opening
The Knoch Knolls Nature Center is now officially open.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony recently kicked off the grand opening event and drew over 400 visitors to the center.
The celebration included speakers, musical entertainment, fish feeding and hands-on activities.
“As a park district, we’re please to be able to provide this long awaited facility for the community. I hope you take advantage of the incredible facilities that we have and this resource and visit as often as you can,” said Mike Reilly, President of the Park Board for the Naperville Park District.
The sustainable education center features nature and history exhibits from the surrounding areas and offers nature programs and classes for people of all ages.
The center’s theme is celebrating water and focuses on the east and west branch of the DuPage River that join together at Knoch Knolls Park.
Naperville News 17's Alyssa Bochenek Reports.
Naperville, IL DuPage River flooding at Knoch Knolls Park 5/2/2019
At the time this was recorded water flow was between 2,300 to 2,500cfps (cubic feet per second) according to USGS data.
Northern Water Snake and American Toads calling, Knoch Knolls Park, Naperville
Lots of Eastern American Toads calling, close up of them croaking away and bonus footage of a Northern Water Snake making is rounds in the pond. This is inside Knoch Knolls Park in Naperville, IL
Field Sparrow singing, Knoch Knolls Park, Naperville, IL, April 18, 2010
the sweet song of a Field Sparrow
Goats Leaving Naperville
The Naperville Park District's green lawnmowers are going home early.
On September 24, 45 goats were released to clear away invasive plants at Knoch Knolls Park, and on October 17, they headed back to their home in Wisconsin.
Though the job was scheduled to take four weeks, it only took three for the goats to clear out the five acres planned. They even had time to move across the river for more munching.
The goats were used to make room for the expansion of the disc golf course. The park district is also currently building a nature center at Knoch Knolls, expected to open next spring.
New Park District Commissioners
Voters named their picks for Naperville Park District Commissioners. Two of the four incumbents, Suzanne Heart and Gerry Heide, will be joined by newcomers Mike Reily and Kirsten Young. NCTV17's Shannon Coughlin has the story.
Fishing Around Town
It’s a life long sport that can be done any time of the year and almost anywhere.
“You could do it alone or with friends, or family. Then you can almost fish in all seasons; in the spring fish are spawning, in the summer they go a bit deeper, fall they come to feed again and winter you can ice fish right on the pond as long as the ice is four inches thick,” said Bob McNeel, Assistant Manager of Site Operations at the DuPage County Forest Preserve.
All you need to fish locally is a pole, some bait and a license if you’re over the age of 16, and you’ll want to make sure your adhering to other state laws such as only using two poles to a person.
“So you can actively only be fishing with two fishing poles and you have to be attending to them, you can’t walk away and come back. Then you’ll want to know the size limits of the fish if you want to keep them, but we encourage people to practice catch and release so someone else can catch them,” McNeel said.
Depending on where you choose to fish in the area; both the DuPage Forest Preserve and the Park District stock their ponds with a variety of fish.
“We have some pumpkin seeds that kind of have a reddish mark on their gill cover. We have large mouth bass other sunfish, green fish, and hybrids – they often hybridize. So you get a variety of different species, fresh water species,” said Angelique Harshman, Manager of the Knoch Knolls Nature Center.
Fishing is allowed all hours that the preserve and parks are open – dawn to one hour after dusk.
Naperville News 17’s Natalie Vitale reports.
Naperville Park District - Centennial Beach's Bathhouse Gets a Facelift
Beginning September 7, 2010, construction crews were busy at Centennial Beach, working to complete the planned renovations of the bathhouse, front entry, concessions, and parking areas of the Beach in time for the Grand Reopening on Saturday, May 28, 2011.
This project is the result of many years of planning, public input and preparation, including permitting with the City of Naperville, DuPage Country and the State of Illinois.
The renovations feature a new front entry plaza and patron drop-off area, a new entrance to the bathhouse, family changing rooms, improved locker facilities, deck-level restrooms and lockers, a new ADA platform lift, a new concessions building with an expanded food menu, staff training and support areas in the bathhouse and new mechanical systems and infrastructure for the bathhouse.
Central to the project is the historic bathhouse. We recognize what a beloved community focal point Centennial Beach is and the rich history it represents and we took careful steps to preserve it. On the exterior, the structure has a new, consolidated front entrance on the west side. Quarry stone, similar to the existing stone, has been carefully selected to maintain consistency for the new portion of the building. Additionally, interpretive signs have been added to preserve the stories from Centennial Beach's unique history.
Wonderful World of Wheels
Recently kids were invited to hitch a ride with the Naperville Park District.
Their Wonderful World of Wheels event invited young kids to take an imaginary ride with vehicles they see everyday.
Little ones were welcome to climb, explore and even make some noise with the city’s community vehicles like fire trucks, police cars and even tractors.
“Kids love trucks, that’s just the name of the game, so we put this on so kids can get a chance to see their favorite trucks, meet the drivers and see that it’s safe,” said Ashley Summers, Special Event and Party Coordinator with the Naperville Park District. “It’s really important that kids know police are safe, firefighters are safe and then we just throw a bunch of other trucks in there just because why not!”
Naperville News 17's Natalie Vitale Reports.
Barn Demolition
A piece of Naperville history was torn down recently to make way for the future of the Park District.
And with that the demolition of the Barn was underway.
The recreation center was built in 1965 by a group of Naperville students who worked with the city to create a place for local youth to hang out. The Park District acquired it in 1969 and after a 2009 evaluation it was determined that the historic facility would have to come down.
“There is a lot to do with the founding principles of the barn building excitement in the spirit of recreation and giving young children and young adults an opportunity to enjoy themselves and this goes back to 1965 and now since the barn is past its useful life it’s time to take that spirit and move it to the Fort Hill Activity Center,” said Director of Planning for the Naperville Park District, Eric Shutes.
But the area will be given new life when a central maintenance facility is built in its place.
“Today is a step in part of a larger plan that goes back several years of getting community input, also working with Park District staff to determine what the best use for the land will be and that is a maintenance facility. Operations to serve the Ron Ory Garden Plots, Sportsman’s Park, The Riverwalk as well as downtown parks,” Shutes said.
The Park District plans to reuse materials from the old barn in their new facility and even invited the public to collect a bit of the barn for themselves.
The Fort Hill Activity Center opens August 27.
Naperville News 17’s Natalie Vitale Reports.
Time Lapse: DuPage River Trail Bridge Installation
It took a day's work to get a large portion of the bridge in at the DuPage River Trail extension, but you can see the entire process in only 90 seconds.
Field Sparrow
Provided to YouTube by Smithsonian Folkways Recordings
Field Sparrow · n/a
The Birds World of Song
℗ 2004 Smithsonian Folkways Recordings / 1961 Folkways Records
Released on: 1961-01-01
Auto-generated by YouTube.
Camping Close to Home
If city life has got you stressed, it might be time to trade it in for a bit of the great outdoors. Camping is a low cost way to get back to nature while spending quality time with the family.
“I think it’s a great idea because I think too many people spend a lot of time indoors,” said Barb Vrchota, Naturalist at Knoch Knolls Nature Center. “You need to get out and experience nature.”
Securing a tent and a solid sleeping bag is a good start, but then what? First timers might be glad to know there’s a place close to home where you can get away, without getting overwhelmed - at Blackwell Forest Preserve in Warrenville.
“You’re not going a great distance, it’s probably just a few minutes from home so if you did forget something you can still go back or if there’s any other needs,” said Manager of Site Operations at the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County, Jay Johnson.
Their campground offers 64 campsites, each one unique, and separate.
“Each site is a bit secluded it has a nice buffer with native plants in between you and your neighbors and it might be trees grasses or forges but it’s a real nice camping experience for all the sites,” said Johnson.
And it’s not just s’mores and fun around the fire you’ll find, there’s boating, fishing, an archery course, and a great view from atop mount hoy. If you’ve brought your bike, you can cover even more ground.
“You could enjoy Danada Forest Preserve, you could enjoy St. James Farm, and then between those two is Herrick Lake Forest Preserve so you could literally bike within four different preserves within one day,” said Johnson.
Whether you head out with friends, or family, you’ll be left with sweet memories that will last a lifetime.
You must purchase a permit from the site to camp at Blackwell’s, which is open from 1 p.m. Thursdays until 12 p.m. on Sundays through Labor Day.
Naperville News 17’s Kim Pirc reports.
Chipping sparrow foraging & resting on tree
Chipping sparrow foraging & resting on tree | Bird | eating, feeding | Diet, Habits, Habitat, Facts, Information, Documentary, Identification, Behavior | Passerellidae, Spizella passerina, chimbito común, gorrión coronirrufo, cejiblanco, Bruant familier, Schwirrammer, passero cinguettante | HD video, nature sounds | Wildlife, Animal | #GoTrails, #wildlife, #animal, #sparrows, #sparrow, #ChippingSparrow
Field Sparrow Sitting in Bush
Field Sparrow Sitting in Bush
Blanco County Texas
October 29, 2014
Local Illinois Birds - May 2014
Local Birds at Knoch Knolls and Hunters Woods Parks in Naperville, Illinois and the Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Illinois
Field Sparrow
Field sparrow singing at Carpenter Nature Center in Hastings, MN.
Field Sparrow in Maine
A field sparrow singing on it's territory in a regenerating clearcut. © 2011 Garth McElroy.
License at
Field Sparrow
Taken at the Erie National Wildlife Refuge near Guys Mills, PA
CLAY COLORED SPARROW bathing Spizella pallida
Spizella pallida CLAY-COLORED SPARROW bathing, joined by many Warblers. Montrose Point Chicago. spring 2017.