naperville-news-2020-centennial-beach-season-cancelled
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DUPAGE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT WILL NOT ISSUE A PERMIT DURING PHASE 3 On June 8 the DuPage County Health Department informed the Naperville Park District that it will not issue a permit for Centennial Beach operations during Phase 3 of the Governor’s Restore Illinois Plan. Swimming facility guidance also has not been issued by public health officials for Phase 4. Therefore, the Park District regrets to announce that Centennial Beach will remain closed for the 2020 season. “We really hoped to be able to offer swimming at some level this summer at Centennial Beach, but unfortunately we are unable to do so,” said Executive Director Ray McGury. This spring the Beach was drained and cleaned as part of the annual maintenance that is required at the facility. For the past several weeks the Naperville Park District has been waiting for guidance from the Governor’s office and Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) on the operation of swim facilities this summer, prior to filling the Beach with water and conducting staff training which takes several weeks to complete. Late on Friday, June 5, IDPH released “Swimming Facility Guidelines” for Phase 3 of the Restore Illinois Plan. The guidelines allow for swimming facilities licensed by IDPH to open during Phase 3 for lap swimming, diving, swimming lessons, swim team practices, and therapy pool use. However, water parks and bathing beaches are not to be opened in Phase 3. Centennial Beach is classified as a beach and is licensed as such by the state and county. The Park District contacted IDPH and the DuPage County Health Department in an effort to secure a license to operate programming in Phase 3 given the unique nature of the Centennial Beach facility, which includes chlorination of the water. Requests to IDPH and the County were denied. DuPage County Health Department explained that it has determined not to review plans for individual facilities or allow any facilities to operate outside of the Restore Illinois guidelines provided by the state. During Phase 3 Centennial Beach will not be able to operate, unless there are changes to the guidelines provided by IDPH. At this time swimming facility guidance has not been issued for Phase 4, and it is unknown when Phase 4 guidelines will be issued. Even if a permit were issued in three weeks, the earliest date that the region is able to move to Phase 4 under the Governor’s plan, the park district would need several more weeks to fill the swimming area with water, train staff, and prepare to open. This makes it unlikely that the facility could open prior to mid-July and results in too little time in the season for feasible operations. The Beach will be allowed to naturally fill with water this summer to maintain the water pressure between the Beach and nearby DuPage River. Individuals who purchased a 2020 Beach pass will receive a refund. Although the water will remain closed this summer, Centennial Beach will host Naperville Park District group fitness classes, such as Outdoor Beach Yoga, in the grass and sand areas. Registration for these classes is currently available online. Based on park district records this is the first year that Centennial Beach has not been able to operate for an entire season. Each year Centennial Beach experiences well over 100,000 visitors to the facility, and many more who participate in learn to swim programs, water fitness, swim team, water polo, and several other programs. The Beach typically employs approximately 200 part-time staff each summer. The splash pad at the new 95th Street Community Plaza, originally scheduled for a grand opening this summer, also is unable to open under Phase 3 of the Restore Illinois Plan. The Park District is awaiting guidance from IDPH on the operation of splash pads under Phase 4. About the Naperville Park District: Created in 1966, the Naperville Park District is an independent, municipal agency serving the recreation needs of its residents. The District is one of only 1% of park districts across the country to be nationally accredited through the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA). The Naperville Park District’s mission is to provide recreation and park experiences that promote healthy lives, healthy minds and a healthy community. The District maintains and operates more than 2,400 acres with 136 parks and provides more than 1,500 recreational, arts and environmental programs and special events annually. Included within the District’s operations are two championship golf courses, a multitude of playgrounds, trails, athletic courts and sports fields, Fort Hill Activity Center, Knoch Knolls Nature Center, two inline skating and skateboarding facilities, the Millennium Carillon, a paddle boat quarry, historic Centennial Beach, and the beautiful Riverwalk. ALL DUPAGE ALL ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

NAPERVILLE NEWS | 2020 Centennial Beach Season Cancelled

DUPAGE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT WILL NOT ISSUE A PERMIT DURING PHASE 3 On June 8 the DuPage County Health Department informed the...

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HEAD ON COLLISSION AT ROYCE ROAD AND LISSON ROAD On Saturday June 6, 2020 at 7:30 p.m. the Naperville Police Department responded to the intersection of Royce Rd and Lisson Rd. for the report of a vehicle crash. Responding units observed two vehicles which appeared to be involved in a head on collision. One of the vehicles was a pickup truck and had been overturned. The vehicles involved were a silver 2014 Dodge Ram and a black 2017 Ford Fiesta. The Naperville Fire Department responded to the scene and provided emergency medical attention to the driver of the Ford Fiesta, who was declared deceased at the scene and later had to be extricated from the vehicle. Due to the nature of the crash, members of the Naperville Police Department’s Traffic Unit specially trained in crash reconstruction responded to the scene. Preliminary investigation indicated the driver of the Dodge Ram was traveling westbound on Royce Rd. and crossed over into the eastbound lanes of Royce Rd. The Ford Fiesta was traveling in the eastbound lanes of Royce Rd. when it was struck head on by the Dodge Ram. The Dodge Ram rolled over several times before coming to a rest upside down. The driver of the Ford Fiesta was declared deceased at the scene and later had to be extricated from the vehicle. The driver of the Dodge Ram, Frank P. Qualtier Jr., 54, out of Naperville, was charged with Aggravated Driving Under the Influence and Reckless Homicide. Additional charges are pending with the Will County States Attorneys Office. The driver of the Ford Fiesta was a male, 41, out of Woodridge. This crash remains under investigation at this time. Anyone who may have witnessed the crash or has any additional information is asked to contact the Traffic Unit at (630) 305-5379. .

NAPERVILLE NEWS | Naperville Police Investigate Fatal Traffic Crash

HEAD ON COLLISSION AT ROYCE ROAD AND LISSON ROAD On Saturday June 6, 2020 at 7:30 p.m. the Naperville Police Department responded to the...

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CUSTOMERS WILL SEE INCREASES REFLECTED ON JANUARY 2018 UTILITY BILLS Naperville utility customers are advised that they will see rate increases in both the water/wastewater and electric portions of their utility bills beginning in January 2018. The water/wastewater increase, which was approved in December 2017, positions the Water Utility for a structurally balanced budget moving forward. An average residential water/wastewater customer will see the following increase in their monthly bills through 2021: Click Here to View Average Increases In 2017, the Water Utility conducted a rate study to help plan for its financial needs through 2021. Throughout the study, the utility considered the costs of day-to-day operations, critical infrastructure improvements needed to ensure continued reliability and upcoming Illinois Environmental Protection Agency regulations that would require phosphorus removal improvements to the Springbrook Water Reclamation Center. A new rate structure was put into place in May 2017 to meet these needs. However, during the 2018 budget process, discrepancies were noted in the Water Utility’s year-to-date financial performance that ultimately led to the discovery of three errors in the 2017 rate study. These errors resulted in the utility’s actual revenues and expenses differing significantly from what the rate study projected. Without intervention to fix the errors, the utility would be underfunded for the foreseeable future. The rate increase provides the utility with a structurally balanced budget where revenues fully cover operating expenses and capital improvement costs beginning in 2018. In addition, the new rates begin the process of rebuilding the utility’s required cash reserves within the coming years. The utility’s operating budget for 2018 is flat due to operational efficiencies, and through these efficiencies, the utility absorbed several hundred thousand dollars of increases in energy, healthcare and other expenses to keep utility rates as low as possible. “We regret the errors in the rate study and the late changes in the rates for 2018,” Water Utility Director Jim Holzapfel said. “We recognize that rate increases are never welcomed, but ensuring adequate financial resources to provide safe, reliable and efficient water and wastewater services to our customers is critical. A structurally balanced water utility also aligns with our City’s financial principle of maintaining an overall structurally balanced budget. We want to be as transparent as possible with this rate increase so our customers can appropriately plan for the coming year.” The new rates still include a phosphorus surcharge as a separate line item on utility bills, and the rates in the above chart include this surcharge figure. In 2018, the charge will increase to $1 per month from .50 cents per month and to $1.80 per month in 2019, 2020 and 2021. More information on water rates is available on the City’s website at www.naperville.il.us/waterrates . Electric rates will also be increasing in 2018. This is a planned increase resulting from the utility’s 2015 rate study. This study called for annual rate increases to account for increasing purchased power costs, rebuilding required cash reserves and repaying a loan to the Water Utility. Effective January 2018, residential customers will see a 3.6 percent increase in their rates. Currently, the average residential customer’s monthly bill is $107.53; this monthly average will increase to $111.39 in 2018. For more information on the City of Naperville, visit www.naperville.il.us. Sign up to receive the latest news on the City of Naperville’s projects and initiatives via email at www.naperville.il.us/enews . To sign up for the City’s notification system Naper Notify and receive important emergency and community information via a phone call, text message, email or smart phone app, visit www.napernotify.com . #GlancerMagazine #Naperville #Community #LocalNews #Business #GlancerWeekly

NAPERVILLE NEWS | Water and Electric Rate Increases Taking Place January 2018

CUSTOMERS WILL SEE INCREASES REFLECTED ON JANUARY 2018 UTILITY BILLS Naperville utility customers are advised that they will see rate...

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