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.
Bennett Park was acquired in 2012 and is home to a bicycle path, picnic area, playground and shelter with grills. If interested in reserving the shelter, contact the district office at 630-879-5235.
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.
This scenic facility is nestled right alongside the Fox River. It is an ideal setting for birthday parties, showers, company gatherings and more. Large windows invite in plenty of sunlight and offer beautiful views of the river, Batavia Depot Museum and the Batavia Riverwalk. A decorative fireplace adds extra ambiance, and a beautiful pavilion allows for a scenic backdrop in the warmer months. The outdoor stage is included with the rental.
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.
The Batavia Depot Pond is apart of the Batavia Riverwalk. This pond is home to some of Batavia's favorite traditions, including ice skating and fishing!
The Depot Pond didn't always look the way it does now. At one time, the entire area, including the Batavia Depot Museum, Walgreens and McDonalds, was a channel of the Fox River. That's how Island Avenue got its name and the tradition of ice skating began.
Back in the 40s and 50s, skaters would stay warm by building fires in metal trash bins. It wasn't until the Batavia Depot Museum was moved to its current location on the Riverwalk that skaters had an official warming house. The basement of the Museum was used as a warming house from 1975 until 1990 when it was converted into exhibit space.
During the winter of 1957, an artist from Nebraska named John Falter was visiting his sister in the Fox Valley area. He came across skaters on the pond and decided to sketch it. He thought it was a whimsical scene and would fit in with his painting-style which was similar to Norman Rockwell. Falter completed a painting of his sketch and submitted it to the Saturday Evening Post, a widely popular magazine with a nationwide reach. In January 1958, the painting of skaters on the pond appeared on the cover of the Saturday Evening Post and the original is on permanent display at the Depot Museum.
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.
The home of local history since 1975, the Batavia Depot Museum is your bridge to the rich stories of Batavia's past. Our research, exhibits and programs connect visitors to the people of this place: hunters of 10,000 B.C., 16-year-old-teachers, industrial magnates, freedom seekers, rocket scientists and, most importantly, each other.
