You probably recognize this area as the Naperville Riverwalk Amphitheatre.
But stained in the stones of this plaza is a labyrinth – a meandering path for which the design dates back thousands of years.
It was built in 1998 by Marty and Debi Kermeen who ran a stone carving business.
They wanted to try building a labyrinth and discovered there was already demand for one here in Naperville.
“I spoke to an architect I had worked with in Naperville before and he said ‘you’re not going to believe this but some citizens here in the community had raised funds for a labyrinth two years ago and they could not find anybody to build it. So it would be an incredible gift to the city if we could actually get that done,’” said Marty Kermeen, co-owner of Labyrinths in Stone.
But in the two decades it’s been on the Riverwalk, the labyrinth has lost its luster. The design doesn’t stand out like it used to, so the Kermeens would like to revitalize it.
The process would involve doing a heated wash, sealing, and applying a new stain to the lines.
“If you see photos of other labyrinths you’ll see the lines really pop. And we’d like to do that in Naperville so everyone knows they have a beautiful labyrinth there,” said Debi Kermeen, co-owner of Labyrinths in Stone.
At their last meeting, Riverwalk Commission Chairman Geoff Roehl said they liked the idea, but there isn’t money allocated in the budget for the project this year.
They aren’t opposed to the work being done if the funding comes from another place.
A labyrinth fun fact: they’re not actually mazes. If you follow the path, you’ll always make your way to the center.
Naperville News 17’s Blane Erwin reports.
