Rotary Park disc golf and fishing set to open in the fall

Rotary Park in La Salle will have new updates including a disc golf course, a fishing pier and new picnic benches by this fall.

The new disc golf course and fishing area will add recreational experiences for residents not otherwise widely available in the area, according to City Engineer Brian Brown.

“It’s not just a city or community park,” Brown said. “It’s a regional park and it’s going to hopefully attract people from all over the area and outside the area.”

The city has installed restrooms, restored the pond and created a new hiking trail open for public use. The trail begins between the pond and dog park and goes down the hill two and a half miles there and back. These most recent updates are all part of the phase three plans for the park, according to Brown.

Phase one included the city acquiring the property and adding the rotary shelter, playground area, pond by playground area, one soccer field and the road leading into the park. The second phase added the baseball field, the concrete parking lot by the diamond, a shelter, second soccer field, the path around soccer field, electric and lighting work along the road and the dog park.

The city still needs to install blockers to prevent cars from traveling the new hiking path. The new picnic tables, benches and trash receptacles will be assembled and installed within the next month.

Brown said installing a fishing pier and a new disc golf course are the next items to be completed. The disc golf course has been cleared and it is just a matter of installing it, adding signage and finalizing the course. Brown said both items should be completed by fall.

The park has 250 acres of both developed and undeveloped areas. The flat, expansive part of the park allows people to go on a walk, watch or play baseball or soccer, enjoy the playground or go to the dog park. The new walking trail loops through some of the undeveloped areas, and Brown said it is a beautiful place to be.

“It’s a scenic, pristine, quiet area to be able to go to,” Brown said.

There is not a phase four planned for Rotary Park at this time. Brown said he hopes to someday have more plans that include connecting the existing part of the park to the main part of town around 24-27th streets for easier access.