The city’s parks are being prepared for spring.

The DeKalb Park District is responsible for keeping local parks clean. Park foreman Josh Clark said preparations for the warm weather season begin in January. In January, the district takes all the equipment used for park maintenance out of storage and mechanics paint and repair any faulty parts.

Actual park maintenance doesn’t begin until early spring.

“Once the grounds start to dry out, we’ll start getting our playgrounds and parks ready,” Clark said. “There were a lot of people out at Hopkins Park this weekend. Really, there’s always a lot of usage in this weather.”

During this time, the park district gets the sports fields ready by mowing the turf and picking up garbage that tends to accumulate during the winter, Clark said.

Residents also have the option of renting picnic shelters at Hopkins, Lions and Welsh parks, which some use for events like group gatherings. To rent a shelter, call the Park District’s Administration Office, 815-758-6663.