New logo in Lakemoor meant to dispel sleepy image

The sleepy image of Lakemoor has been put to bed as part of an ongoing multifaceted effort to modernize operations and capitalize on development.

Village officials recently adopted a new motto and logo to convey what they hope is a more businesslike impression to prospective investors.

In the new logo, the namesake Lily Lake and other bodies of water in and around the village are depicted by two intertwined ribbons of blue. That replaces a silhouette of a someone in a boat apparently fishing, with trees and aquatic plants as background.

"The intent is to have a very simple, clean corporate look - just enough to define we're a lake community and keep the opportunities open," said Matt Dabrowski, director of community and economic development.

The longtime motto, "Progress Through Planning" also has been replaced with "Pride and Prosperity," which was developed through a village contest.

"We're proud of where we're at and where we're going," Dabrowski said.

The logo contest produced a girl on a swing with a park as the background.

"That's when we hired a consultant," Dabrowski said.

During the past few years, village officials have been on a mission to change the town's image from an exurban backwater to a place to do business, particularly along the busy Route 120 corridor.

For example, with the assistance of the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, the village overhauled its comprehensive plan. One component targets the central business area near the lake for redevelopment.

The village late last year purchased land along Route 120 for a new municipal complex, and is considering potential financial incentives to allow for the development of the long-vacant area at Route 12 and Route 120.

And last summer, Dabrowski, a former village trustee and planner in Arlington Heights, was hired as Lakemoor's first director of community and economic development.

But the effort is a work in progress, as the old logo still greets visitors to the village website.

"We did our business cards (and) we're in the process of updating our letterheads and website," Dabrowski said. "We're in a tough market and when people looked at our logo, it conveyed a small-town message."