Former Ottawa Mayor Bob Eschbach was happy at the dedication in late June for the Illinois and Michigan Canal water project he’d dreamed of and worked toward for years.
But, one of our top stories of 2021, it wasn’t smooth sailing. Water didn’t flow as nicely as had been predicted. Ottawa resident Helen Jo Reardon declared during a City Council meeting that month, “It’s a swamp!” She wanted to know what the city would do about it.
The water, already lowered to manage a leak in the wall by the walkway, was let out so engineers could study the problems. Mayor Dan Aussem says the so-called value engineering to save money didn’t turn out to be a good value. He says the city’s having a contractor figure out what it’ll cost to put in the liner that was removed from the project, and he believes the city can control the algae and cattails.
Aussem is hoping to have water in the canal again in the spring.
Ottawa Canal Association President Arnie Bandstra cuts the ribbon while in a canoe.
Groundbreaking for the Ottawa I&M Canal water project in July 2018