Kane County's Restoration of Geneva Creek Nears Completion
Work is nearly complete on an ambitious project to stabilize Geneva Creek. Located along the south edge of the Kane County Government Center Campus in Geneva, the stream corridor had been largely forgotten and not actively managed, resulting in the corridor becoming choked with invasive brush and trees and creek was experiencing severe stream bank erosion as it meanders through the area between IL Route 31 and its confluence with the Fox River. The stream erosion had become a significant threat to both water quality as well as the structural integrity of a spiritual landmark.
In spring 2023, Kane County's Department of Environmental and Water Resources & Building Management Department partnered with the Forest Preserve District of Kane County to improve the stream channel and its floodplain corridor from its confluence with the Fox River within the Gunnar Anderson Forest Preserve westward through the County Government Center campus up to IL Route 31. The County has taken the lead effort on the project, including managing engineering, construction, and grant oversight. Funding for the project was paid for via the County's Wetland Fund, a grant from the Grand Victoria Riverboat, and funding from the Forest Preserve District. The District also coordinated numerous Volunteer Restoration Workdays in which community volunteers helped clear invasive trees and brush through the project area. (see before and after pictures below)
A Hidden Gem Restored
Perched above the creek, the Geneva Grotto is a stone structure built in the 1930s by the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, who once operated a seminary on the property. Long neglected and defaced, the Grotto is now being restored and maintained by volunteers. While the Grotto itself is on Forest Preserve Property, the rest of the stream corridor and trails are part of the 20-acre campus purchased by Kane County in 1972, now home to county offices.
Unearthed History
During creek restoration, a memorial stone was discovered honoring Walter Stephens, a local gardener and founder of The Natural Garden in St. Charles (now part of Midwest Groundcovers). Stephens had cultivated a native wildflower garden on the campus, and the stone was placed by friends after his passing in 1980.
These restoration and preservation efforts reflect Kane County's ongoing commitment to protecting one of its most valued and important natural resources—the Fox River. The trails and Grotto area are currently closed to the public while the stabilization project is under construction. Once the project is complete, access trails to the Grotto will reopen to the public. 
Learn more about the work of the Kane County Department of Environmental Water Resources at - https://www.kanecountyil.gov/fder/pages/ewrdiv.aspx
