Riverfront Park online survey now available
Bourbonnais, IL – Wednesday, January 10, 2024, Village of Bourbonnais officials kicked off the New Year hosting a public workshop for residents to provide input on Riverfront Park. The 10.7-acre park is nestled along the Kankakee River at 1200 Canterbury Lane and is one of the village’s largest premier parks. Remaining untouched for the past 20 years, the park is the latest in the Imagine Bourbonnais initiative inviting the community to participate in its future via a Master Planning process.
Approximately 50 residents attended the first in-person workshop. For those who were unable to attend, the survey is now available here and on the village’s Facebook page. Printed copies are also available at the Village of Bourbonnais Administration Office at 600 Main St. NW during business hours Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Residents have until Friday, March 8, to share their ideas and vision for one of Kankakee County’s premier riverfront parks.
The Master Planning process is being conducted by Kimley-Horn and Associates, an engineering, planning and design consultant firm, who assisted in the development of the village’s phased Wayfinding Signage program.
Collectively, the public workshop and online survey results will be presented to the public, completing the first round of the engagement phase.
“I am extremely happy with the citizen interest this project has already generated,” exclaimed Bourbonnais Mayor, Paul Schore.
“Thousands participated and helped shape the vision for what will become our central core this summer. They told us what they wanted, and we are making it happen. This is no different.”
Mayor Schore added, “Citizen input is invaluable for planning. We aren’t just guessing with taxpayer dollars. If we are going to invest in something for the community, we want to ensure it is what our community is telling us they want. It’s not about us and what we (village officials) want. It’s about what the residents, we are serving, want.”
The online survey is to provide community members with an initial opportunity to share their thoughts and opinions on what they would like to see as part of future Riverfront Park improvements. It will take approximately seven minutes to complete online and will be available for four weeks. Those who already participated in the public workshop do not need to again participate in the online version. There will be additional engagement opportunities through future open house events and a second online survey to vote on plan concepts derived from the initial round of responses.
Riverfront Park is one of 22 parks the village currently maintains and one of two along the Kankakee River. It currently boasts benches, biking and walking trails, fitness equipment, access to fishing, frisbee golf, a grill, a historic pavilion, picnic tables, a seasonal restroom and a Little Free Library.
To learn more about Village of Bourbonnais parks, click here.
