December 25, 2024
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Peru Scout builds bridges for La Salle Rotary Park disc golf course

Project saves the city $8,000 to $9,000, city engineer says

By Derek Barichello
Cooper Vaske, 18, of Peru, addresses the La Salle City Council on Monday, May 16, 2022, about his Eagle Scout project, which involved building bridges over the creek for the Rotary Park disc golf course.

Cooper Vaske, 18, of Peru, addresses the La Salle City Council on Monday, May 16, 2022, about his Eagle Scout project, which involved building bridges over the ravine for the Rotary Park disc golf course. (Derek Barichello - dbarichello@shawmedia.com)

Peru resident Cooper Vaske’s Eagle Scout project to build bridges over a ravine for the proposed Rotary Park disc golf course in La Salle was one he could “show his kids” with pride someday, La Salle Mayor Jeff Grove told him.

The La Salle City Council applauded Vaske for his work Monday, saving the city about $8,000 to $9,000, said La Salle City Engineer Brian Brown.

Vaske, 18, a La Salle-Peru High School student who plans to study biological science in college, said he was looking for ideas for his Eagle Scout project, when Brown and disc golf course designer and IVCC math instructor Wes Black floated the proposal to him to help the disc golf course.

Construction of an 18-hole disc golf course at Rotary Park is ongoing and is expected to be completed by late summer, early fall, Brown said.

“I thought it was really cool,” Vaske told the council on Monday. “I thought it was a great idea.”

Cooper Vaske, 18, of Peru, stands on the finished bridge at the Rotary Park disc golf course in La Salle. He constructed the bridge at a cost of about $1,400, of all donated materials, for his Eagle Scout project.

Cooper Vaske, 18, of Peru, stands on the finished bridge at the Rotary Park disc golf course in La Salle. He constructed the bridge at a cost of about $1,400, of all donated materials, for his Eagle Scout project. (Photo provided by city of La Salle)

Vaske said the project also had extra meaning, because his father Chris is an officer with the Rotary Park Foundation.

The Scout said the cost of the project was about $1,400, with all donated items, and more than 100 hours of volunteer work from not only himself, but also his Troop 123.

“The bridge will last for years, it is very well built,” Brown said.

Cooper Vaske listens to La Salle City Engineer Brian Brown (not in photo) as he is introduced and commended Monday, May 16, 2022, by the La Salle City Council for his Eagle Scout project building bridges at Rotary Park for the disc golf course.

Cooper Vaske listens to La Salle City Engineer Brian Brown (not in photo) as he is introduced and commended Monday, May 16, 2022, by the La Salle City Council for his Eagle Scout project building bridges at Rotary Park for the disc golf course. (Derek Barichello - dbarichello@shawmedia.com)

Brown said there are several other volunteers working on the course. Equipment has been ordered to erect the baskets and construct the tee boxes. He is hopeful the materials will be received next week to start construction of them.

The engineer said Rotary Park’s course will be an destination course. He said the disc golf course at Baker Lake in Peru is designed for beginners and the one at Illinois Valley Community College is a step up, but La Salle’s will attract serious players, with two tee boxes placed at its hole catering to different skill levels.

“Rotary Park is 250 acres, there’s a lot of area not utilized and this will get more people walking through, and creating trails,” Brown said.

Thanks to Vaske, they’ll be able to cross the low spots over the ravine “without getting their shoes muddy.”

Cooper Vaske and volunteers from Boy Scout Troop 123 work on a bridge at Rotary Park in La Salle. Vaske said he and his Troop spent more than 100 hours of time volunteering to build the bridges for the disc golf course.

Cooper Vaske and volunteers from Boy Scout Troop 123 work on a bridge at Rotary Park in La Salle. Vaske said he and his Troop spent more than 100 hours of time volunteering to build the bridges for the disc golf course. (Photo provided by La Salle)