April 28, 2024
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Land in Oswego designated for future Metra parking lot, other uses, to be farmed for now

By Eric Schelkopf
The proposed Kendall County Metra service extension study includes this illustration of a commuter rail station that would be built off Orchard Road in Oswego.

The study for a proposed Kendall County Metra commuter train service extension includes this illustration of a train station that would be built off Orchard Road, in Oswego. (Shaw Local News Network)

Agricultural land that Oswego officials hope will accommodate parking for a future Metra train station and the village-owned amphitheater Venue 1012, as well as provide overflow parking for the planned cricket stadium, will continue to be farmed for now.

The village owns about 15 acres of land on the north side of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe tracks, west of Orchard Road. At the Jan. 9 Oswego Village Board meeting, village trustees approved a contract with Creekside Farms.

Under the terms of the agreement, which will run through Dec. 31, Creekside is responsible for all costs associated with planting and harvesting all crops, Oswego Village Administrator Dan Di Santo told village trustees. In return for the use of the land, Creekside must pay the village 30% of the total gross sales of the crops.

The village is expected to get $1,000 in revenue per year. The contract is in effect through Dec. 31.

Oswego previously had an agreement with Creekside Farms to farm the property in 2022.

There has been much discussion about extending the Metro commuter rail service on the BNSF line from the Aurora Transportation Center into Kendall County. Extending Metra commuter rail service into Kendall County would require construction of a third, new main track west of ATC. There are currently only two main tracks on the BNSF system line in Kendall County.

The total proposed extension is 20 miles, with stations proposed in Montgomery, Oswego, Yorkville, Plano and Sandwich. Constructing the extension stations and required yard and infrastructure improvements is estimated to cost between about $400 million to $700 million to An additional $6 to $14 million annually would be needed for operations and maintenance of the extension.

Work is expected to start in the spring on a proposed outdoor cricket stadium on 33.48 acres at the northwest corner of Orchard Road and Tuscany Trail in Oswego. Village trustees in November voted 4-1 to approve a special use permit for Phase 1 of the project, which involves construction of the pitch (field) and installation of underground drain tiles. They also recommended approval of preliminary concept plans for all five phases of the project.

As part of Phase 2, the stadium would be open for use in late summer or early fall 2024, with a seating capacity of 2,000. With the seating increased to 14,000, the stadium would be able to accommodate national cricket events possibly by fall 2026, according to the plans.

The cricket stadium would be near Venue 1012, an outdoor amphitheater located at 1012 Station Drive in Oswego. Owned and operated by the village of Oswego, Venue 1012 opened in August 2021.