Tour Horner Park's Riverbank On Saturday And See What's Behind The Fence

IRVING PARK — Horner Park's riverbank will remain off limits until 2018, but for one day only neighbors can enjoy a guided tour of the restored area as part of Saturday's Horner Fest.

Tours will be held every hour on the hour between 8 a.m.-4 p.m., with a limit of 20 people per tour. Advance registration is required (click here) and slots are going fast — the 10 a.m. tour is already full.

The leisurely walk along the riverbank will last approximately 45 minutes and will be led by representatives from the Chicago Park District and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The $6 million restoration — 65 percent funded by the Army Corps, 35 percent by the Park District — is designed to halt erosion and create a gentler slope that makes the riverbank more accessible to park visitors.

The project has been in progress since 2014. The area continues to be fenced off to give plants a chance to establish themselves before being subjected to foot traffic. A peek through the fence indicates that strategy is working.

^{Horner Park's riverbank restoration area remains fenced off to give plants a chance to establish themselves. [DNAinfo/Patty Wetli]}

^{A view of the riverbank from the Montrose Avenue bridge. [DNAinfo/Patty Wetli]}