Rotary Park improvements in La Salle near completion

Contractor installing restrooms, completing shelters

Rotary Park in La Salle soon will have more handicapped-accessible amenities and the restrooms in the main shelter will be finished by late summer.

La Salle City Engineer Brian Brown told the City Council on Monday there has been extensive progress on capital improvements at the park. There, the contractor is installing restrooms, completing shelters and grading elevated surfaces to make the park compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

“The building went faster than I anticipated,” Brown said of the restroom. “I would say it will be in service by the end of the summer.”

The lone holdup is the fishing pier. A bid is pending while Brown sorts a technical issue.

Separately, the council adopted an appropriations ordinance – that is, a wish list of expenses drawn up to give the city emergency spending authority. City officials said the appropriations ordinance is available for public inspection but cautioned it is distinct from the budget, which represents what the city will spend.

Finally, Alderman Jim Bacidore renewed his objections to the pace of improvements at the Hotel Kaskaskia and called into question the veracity of statements the developer made.

In response, Mayor Jeff Grove said he was satisfied with the developer’s explanations. Several aldermen distanced themselves from Bacidore’s accusations.

La Salle council members raised concerns at their last meeting about the progress of CL Enterprise’s downtown projects, including a proposed brewpub. The developer didn’t attend that meeting, but spoke to the NewsTribune about the progress.

In other matters, the council:

-Granted a tag day to benefit the St. Jude Run July 17 at 11th and Bucklin streets.

-Approved a request to close First Street between Wright and Gooding streets from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, July 31, to host “Summer LIVs On Block Party.”

- Agreed to paint two car lengths at the northwest corner of Gooding and Ninth Street on the Ninth Street to indicate no parking.

- Agreed to remove the speed bump closest to 11th Street in the alley north of 11th Street and east of Marquette Street, adjacent to Lincoln Junior High School’s west side.