Discover the Batavia Riverwalk; a jewel of the Batavia Park District. This Riverwalk is home to the Peg Bond Center and beloved Depot pond. Many popular events like, Windmill City Festival, Celebration or Lights and summer concert series, River Rhapsody. The Riverwalk has many amenities including; kayak & paddleboat rentals, bike share, fishing area, playground, picnic area, shelter, parking lot and walking trails.
This park was attained in 2010 and was created as a cooperative effort by the Park District, the City of Batavia and a dedicated group of community members. Using primarily volunteer labor, donated material, and services, the walk was created over a six-year period. Extending from the entry plaza at Houston St. and going north along the Depot Pond, the path features a boardwalk leading to the North Point Pavilion, providing a grand view of the river. Following the path around to the east, walkers will encounter the Batavia dam as well as the Riverwalk wildflower sanctuary. In the buildings across the river, windmills were produced from the mid-1800s until the 1940s. Many examples of these mills can be found along the Riverwalk. The walk winds along the east side of the City of Batavia Government Center. At the south end of the Government Center pedestrians and bicyclists can cross a walking bridge to the east side of the river. Once there, they can access the eastern leg of the Fox River Bike Trail.
This community park is the largest single piece of property in the District system. Aided by a $200,000 grant, approximately half of this site was developed in 2000 and 2001. The site is currently home to full-size basketball courts, a baseball field, and softball field as well as a two-acre fishing pond. The park boasts an approximate 1 3/4 mile walking/jogging path and is used by the Tri-Cities Soccer Association during their spring and fall soccer seasons.
West Main Community Park is also home to the Bark Park, located at the southwest corner of the site. The Bark Park features three acres of fenced-in space for your four-legged friend to run off leash. A small pavilion and agility equipment are also located within the boundaries of the Bark Park. No permit is required to enter the Bark Park, which is open year-round.
This site was designed in cooperation with the Batavia School District, Batavia Youth Baseball and the Tri-Cities Soccer Association making it truly a community park. The site features multiple soccer fields, a large playground, skate park equipment, two rentable picnic shelters and BYB's "Max Striedl" field. For information regarding shelter rental, please contact the Park District's main office at 630-879-5235. The playground features slides, accessible swings, musical instruments, climbing structures and the popular "gravity rail."
The park is named after Peter Frieders, the original farmer who purchased and cared for the land with his family in the late 1860’s. This park was created as an opportunity to offer individuals and families an open space to walk their dog, enjoy a picnic or even throw around a football.
This park connects via a path to Fidler Farm Park.
Laurelwood Park was once part of a much larger private park owned by the Chicago Northwestern Railroad. The railroad operated the original Laurelwood during the early years of the 20th century. Presently, it is home to The Lodge at Laurelwood (formerly the Batavia Boat Club). This facility has a multi-purpose room with a kitchenette as well as restrooms. The Lodge is used by the District for programs as well as by affiliated and not-for-profit groups for their meetings. With its ample parking the site provides a good opportunity to "park and pedal" on the Fox River Bike Trail that runs through the park. Also featured at this site is a boat launch that provides access to the Fox River.
Clark Island Recreation Area is a unique combination of three islands in the Fox River as well as a large open area on the eastern bank of the river. The bridges that connect the islands join the east and west legs of the Fox River Bike Trail. The site is the home of Woodard Field, a major youth league baseball field located on the largest of the islands, as well as an 11,000-square-foot skate park. There are two parking lots that adjoin the bike trail providing good "Park and Pedal" access. A seasonal rest room facility also is provided at this site. Clark Island Recreation Area was renovated in 2025 in thanks to an Illinois Department of Natural Resources Open Space and Land Development Grant along with a grant from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois.
Braeburn Park and Preserve is a joint ownership project between Batavia Park District, Geneva Park District and the Kane County Preserve District. This project started in 2010. Braeburn is 50 acres with 5.5 acres being developed land while 44.5 acres is marsh and wetland. A raised walkway was developed to allow for visitors to access this interesting part of the park. Braeburn is home to a basketball court, playground, mini-shelter, and a pick-up baseball field.
The Lodge at Laurelwood is a cozy, historic facility nestled within beautiful Laurelwood Park along the Fox River and Fox River Trail. The park is a popular spot for fishing and relaxing, and The Lodge can be rented for events and meetings for up to 50 people. The Lodge has a patio overlooking the river, and features a kitchenette and indoor bathrooms.
Craig Foltos had a dream some twenty years ago to place 12' "PEACE ON EARTH" letters on the bicycle-pedestrian bridge in downtown Batavia, IL. That dream came true through his efforts alongside volunteers, who donated resources and time to build the letters. In partnership with the Batavia Park District, the message of hope has been proudly hung annually on the "Peace Bridge" during the Christmas season. The Batavia Parks Foundation teamed up with Foltos, who had already raised $4,000 through donations and merchandise sales toward the permanent art. The Batavia Parks Foundation launched a community campaign in May of 2022, securing letter sponsors, selling "Play it Forward" raffle tickets, accepting donations, and selling merchandise that all added up to $50,000 on December 21, 2022. Any funds raised above the actual final costs of the project will be placed in a Batavia Parks Foundation dedicated fund to pay for future maintenance expenses for the artwork and lighting.
After community fundraising wrapped up, construction planning for the permanent PEACE ON EARTH artwork was underway. A familiar name to the Batavia community project, Dennis Kintop, was the volunteer construction manager. Dennis is worked with the Batavia Park District, Batavia Parks Foundation, and community volunteers to get the metal letters fabricated, install permanent electricity and lighting, and leverage in-kind donations wherever possible. Kluber Architects + Engineers' in-kind donation of structural and electrical plans for the permanent artwork is already underway. Project installation was completed in November 2023.
Thank you to all the donors big and small for your support. Contributing to the "Peace on Earth" campaign were the following generous major donors:
Anonymous
Barco Products
Batavia Rotary Club
Batavia Woman's Club
Boyce Body Werks, Inc.
In Memory of Dan Brace
Drendel & Jansons Law Group
Dunham Foundation
Earthmover Credit Union
Foltos & Friends
Richard & Joanne Hansen
Rob & Karen Hollis
Kluber Architects + Engineers
Alice Bonifas Lee
Marconi Family in Memory of Joseph Marconi
Steven & Britta McKenna
The Matt Novak Family
Lezlee S. Nuesca
Maureen O'Brien
Stan & Carolyn Oke
Premium Waterproofing
The Matt Rowe Foundation
Weaver Partners, Inc.
Sarah J. Ryerson
Steve Hopkins & Associates.
Named Batavia Park Districts 2025 Park Madness winner, Big Woods is a fan favorite. With a baseball diamond, basketball court, bicycle path, parking lot, picnic area, playground, restrooms, soccer fields, softball fields, tennis courts, walking/jogging path and the largest rentable picnic shelter that the district owns. The shelter has access to water, electricity and grills. If interested in reserving the shelter, contact the district office at (630) 879-5235.
Big Woods Park has a large parking lot and is within walking/biking distance from Prairie Path Park. There are three entrances to the park; one off Raddant Rd., one off Tierney Ln., and one off Burnham Ln.
