LaSalle County parks staff reported progress at Catlin Park on April 25, saying a volunteer donated and released approximately 100 fish into the park pond, four new benches were installed at playgrounds, and staff are preparing for an Earth Day education and tree-planting event.

Why it matters: park maintenance and volunteer contributions affect local recreation access and habitat improvement. County parks staff said the Earth Day event will involve fourth-grade students and include a guided walk and planting of a small number of trees and native pollinator plants.

Parks staff described three species released into the Catlin Park pond: bass, channel catfish and bluegill. The staff estimate for the donation was “probably about a hundred fish.” Staff also noted four benches have been bolted down at playgrounds and are ready for public use.

Staff reported ongoing herbicide work to control invasive plants, naming canary grass and Dame’s Rocket among species being managed. New lighting poles have been installed near the pond and a broken pavilion light will be replaced with a new LED fixture. Trail cameras are installed and staff are adjusting and testing them to improve image capture.

The county said the Earth Day event will include soil-and-water district staff (identified as Audrey) and an estimated 75 to 100 fourth-grade students. Parks staff said they plan to plant three or four trees and some native pollinator plants, noting that larger container stock was hard to source this early in the season and the team may use flats of smaller plants instead.

On routine contracting, parks staff said the mowing contract for Catlin increased by $25 compared with the last contract; staff said the contractor had not raised the price since about 2020–2022.

Staff also said they have reached out by email to a company identified in the meeting as “Jericho US Silica” about possible partnership work on ball diamonds and natural-area restoration; the company contact and level of commitment remain under discussion.

Parks staff closed by saying they will focus in the coming days on cleaning and preparing park areas ahead of the student visit.