Lake in the Hills won't get aquatic center

Lake in the Hills residents won't be getting a community recreation/fitness center and outdoor aquatic center in town.

The Crystal Lake Park District's plans to build the facility on roughly 27 acres along southern Ackman Road in Lake in the Hills have been derailed.

Lake in the Hills annexed the property more than a year ago on condition that the center would locate there. It was deannexed when the park district was unable to close on the property in the agreed-upon time frame, said Dan Olson, Lake in the Hills community development director.

"We're disappointed it's not going forward at this time," he said

The village does not have an aquatic center nor plans to build one.

The project would have meant village residents could swim and recreate without their tax bills increasing. The village agreed to waive annexation and permitting fees for the project, and its residents would have had access to the facilities and programs at lower rates than that of nonresidents.

Olson said the village is willing to work with the park district. "Hopefully, something can be worked out and the project can go forward maybe in the future," he added.

The site currently is unincorporated and falls within the boundaries of the Huntley Park District, but jurisdiction would have transferred to Crystal Lake Park District once the sale was finalized.

Crystal Lake Park District sought to buy the former Crystal Highlands Golf Course - whose driving range, three-hole course and miniature golf course operated until 2012 - for $625,000. However, negotiations on the sale of the property, at 8917 Ackman Road, stalled and eventually collapsed because the property owner was unable to meet one of the park district's conditions, said Jason Herbster, park district executive director.

"Right now, we're back to determining locations to do the project," Herbster said. There is no other site in Lake in the Hills where the center could be built, he said.

"That property was kind of unique," said Herbster, adding that the site is surrounded on three sides by the park district with Lake in the Hills to the west. "It was in a good location from the standpoint of it was in the southern edge of the park district's boundaries. Probably 60 percent of our district's population is in the southern portion. The chances of (the project) being in Lake in the Hills again would be pretty unlikely. That was about as far out as we could go within our boundaries. We are back to looking for another parcel of land."