COOK COUNTY, Ill. (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- There’s a new kayak and canoe launch in Cook County and it fills in a lengthy gap between launches along the Des Plaines River.
Ribbon-cutting was this morning in the Riverside area at Schuth’s Grove in the Miller Meadow Preserve and it includes an environmentally-friendly parking lot.
There are now nine places in the Cook County Forest Preserves where visitors can launch a kayak or canoe or exit from the Des Plaines River. The new launch near Riverside fills in a five-mile gap between the launch at Ogden and the one at Lake Street.
“For beginner paddlers or someone who wants a shorter trip, this option to launch or get ashore means new opportunities for kayaking or canoeing here in central Cook County," said Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle.
Forest Preserve District General Supt. Arnold Randall encourages people to take advantage of the new kayak and canoe launch.
“When you’re on the river, in a lot of parts of the forest preserves, you really feel like you’re in Wisconsin or Michigan," he said.
"You really lose sight of all the traffic and all the city noises and you see a lot of birds and you see a lot of really cool things on the river.”
The new kayak launch at Schuth’s Grove includes a permeable pavement parking lot which is good for the environment, according to Metropolitan Water Reclamation District President Kari Steele.
“We estimate that the Schuth’s Grove parking lot green infrastructure will provide over 110,000 gallons of stormwater storage every time it rains," she said.
Randall said there are now three of those kinds of parking lots in county forest preserves with another one on the way.
“Permeable pavement like this is considered green infrastructure under the Clean Water Act, because it filters out pollutants that contribute to water pollution," he explained.
"It reduces the run-off that contributes to flooding. It reduces the heat island effect and reduces or eliminates the need for de-icing."
County Board President Preckwinkle said county planners and recreation staff are meeting with paddling enthusiasts to talk about additional improvements at more sites.
Illinois Department of Natural Resources Assistant Director John Rogner said he’s an avid paddler and he welcomed the new launch site.
“There’s nothing better than to be able to pull the canoe or kayak down from your garage and, in 45 minutes, be on waters like this and when you are on the water and between the banks, you see nothing but wild nature. It’s wilderness just close to home," he said.
“We have access to nature here that, ironically, is sometimes in short supply in other parts of rural Illinois, where so much land is dedicated to growing our food.”
Cook County Commissioner Frank Aguilar said he intends to try kayaking again next year. He said his first try at it didn’t go so well as he almost capsized.
“Last year, my brother invited me to go kayaking for the first time ever. So, I’m looking forward to it next year because, when he pushed me off the kayak, the water started getting too close and sinking so I went back," Aguilar said.
"Maybe next year, I’ll take it up again... just going to go in the gym and make sure I fit in those kayaks.”
Schuth’s Grove is along Cermak Road west of Des Plaines Avenue.
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