Hennepin Canal: Closing date moved back
PRINCETON — The Hennepin Canal Parkway has gotten a short reprieve from Gov. Rod Blagojevich, but that’s not good enough for supporters of the Hennepin Canal.
On Tuesday, Blagojevich said he is delaying the closing of state historic sites and state parks to give more time for the handling of union workers affected by the closings.
About two weeks ago, Blagojevich had announced 11 state parks, including the Hennepin Canal Parkway, would close Nov. 1 because of budget cuts to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. That date has now been pushed back to Nov. 30.
Various historic sites, including Bishop Hill, were to close, or go into reduced hours, on Oct. 1. That date has now been set back two weeks, to Oct. 15.
Kelly Quinn, spokesperson for the governor, said a lot of union workers are affected by the planned closings. Some union workers have seniority “bumping rights,” which allow them to take other jobs within their agencies. This employee shuffling has caused the delay in the scheduled closings, Quinn said.
Meanwhile, supporters of the Hennepin Canal Parkway continue to work to stop the governor’s funding cuts.
On Sept. 10, the Illinois House of Representatives voted in special session to approve three bills to restore funding to areas cut by Blagojevich, including the state parks, historic sites and social service agencies.
At that time, State Sen. Gary Dahl, who represents portions of eastern Bureau County, said the Senate needed to follow the House’s lead.
“There’s no time to waste,” Dahl said Wednesday. “I want to see senators back in Springfield to pass the ethics bill and to vote on other matters like finding money to keep state parks and historic sites open and save social workers from losing their jobs.”
But as of Wednesday, Senate President Emil Jones still had not announced any plans to go back into session until November, as previously scheduled.
State Sen. Dale Risinger, who represents portions of south and central Bureau County, has gone on record opposing the governor’s budget cuts.
Risinger and Sen. Tim Bivins of Dixon hosted an open forum Wednesday night at the Geneseo High School to hear and collect public testimony from people also opposing the governor’s cuts. That information will be sent to the governor’s office.
In another effort to save the area state parks, the Friends of the Hennepin Canal has started a petition drive to collect names of citizens opposed to the governor’s budget cuts.
“Closing the canal parkway will end the life of the canal,” Friends President Gary Wagle said. “At 100 years of age, the Hennepin Canal is a delicate, living structure, and without diligent maintenance, it will die.”
On Wednesday, Wagle announced there was a breach in a levy on the Hennepin Canal on Sept. 15 near Atkinson.
With limited equipment, the Hennepin Canal Parkway staff worked nearly all night repairing the break, thus avoiding “de-watering” that portion of the canal, Wagle said.
The repair work was made more difficult because much of the canal’s equipment is in disrepair due to budget cuts during past years, Wagle said. There are no portable lights similar to those used on construction sites, and workers used flashlights to guide equipment operators, he said.
“The Friends of the Hennepin have not been crying wolf,” Wagle said. “Our concern is for the canal’s hydrological integrity. Without continual maintenance, this precious resource will collapse. What happened on Sept. 15 proves our point.”
