Security cameras coming to Vernon Hills Athletic Complex
Prompted by concerns about crime, security cameras soon will be added to a portion of the Vernon Hills Athletic Complex.
Stevenson High School District 125 officials this week approved a plan to install five cameras in the section of the 184-acre complex that they own and maintain.
Wireless internet gear will be added, too. That service will make it easier for police to investigate any crimes there, Stevenson High spokesman Jim Conrey said.
Coaches, athletes and spectators will have access to the open Wi-Fi network as well, Conrey said. Stevenson team trainers may find the Wi-Fi access particularly useful.
"Trainers will be able to fill out reports and access medical information online, as they (can) when on campus," Conrey said.
The athletic complex is on Fairway Drive south of Route 60. Three school districts maintain athletic fields at the complex: Stevenson District 125, which is based in nearby Lincolnshire; Libertyville-Vernon Hills Area High School District 128; and Lincolnshire-Prairie View Elementary District 103.
The village has a piece of the property, too.
Stevenson's 47-acre portion is on the west side of Fairway Drive. It's used for tennis, soccer, lacrosse and other sports.
Property crimes, such as theft and vandalism, have occurred occasionally, Conrey said. Championship signs have been stolen, locks have been cut and tennis court nets have been damaged, among other acts.
The cameras will be installed on posts, Conrey said. A Bannockburn company called Netrix will handle the job.
The equipment will cost about $32,000, Conrey said, while system design and implementation will cost about $18,000.
Additionally, internet access will cost the district nearly $1,900 a month. It will be provided by Comcast, Conrey said.
"We are hopeful to have everything installed and running this fall," he said.