North Aurora Officials Eyeing Dam Removal Once Again

NORTH AURORA, IL — More than five years after getting the green light to remove the Fox River dam in North Aurora, village officials are looking to restart the project. The North Aurora Village Board included the dam’s removal as part of its 2020-21 strategic plan and signalled its intent to work with the Fox Valley Park District to get the project going, according to a report by the Aurora Beacon-News.

The board approved a proposal to remove the dam in late 2014, when $3 million in grants were available for the project, according to Village Administrator Steve Bosco, but it was put on hold after funding was cut under former Gov. Bruce Rauner, the report states.

Aurora Mayor Calls For Body Cameras, Police Use-Of-Force Review

After the state set aside $19 million for dam and spillway projects under Gov. J.B. Prtitker, the Fox Valley Park District “moved quickly” to be among the projects that were approved by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Park District Executive Director Jim Pilmer said in the report.

North Aurora Village President Dale Berman has also signalled his support for removing the dam, calling it a safety hazard, the report states.