Crowd shares ideas for Hastings Lake

Located just outside Lindenhurst, the Hastings Lake Forest Preserve is a 255-acre natural oasis in ever-developing northwestern Lake County.

Nearby resident Teri White wants it to stay that way.

"Part of our decision in purchasing our house where we did was the fact that the forest preserve district owned the Hastings Lake property," said White, who moved to the area with her husband, Jim, about two years ago. "We knew we'd be that close to a beautiful forest preserve."

The Whites were among those who shared ideas about the preserve's possible future uses Monday evening during an open house at the Antioch Township Hall.

Canoeing, fishing and hiking were among the most popular activities people said they wanted at the preserve, which is near Gelden and Grass Lake roads. All three are among the top options being considered by district leaders, said Tom Hahn, the district's executive director.

Hahn especially wants to put a trail around the 80-acre lake that gave the preserve its name.

"People love the water," he said. "That's one of the reasons we bought the property."

Purchased from the TMCA of Metropolitan Chicago in 2003 for $10 million, the preserve opened to the public this summer. It features a mowed trail and a parking lot, and fishing on Hastings Lake is allowed.

More improvements will come after a master plan for the site is developed. Monday's meeting was a key early step in that process.

Lisa Fleisher attended the open house with her children, 4-year-old Jacob and 2-year-old Celia. She'd like to see a playground and other youth-oriented features at the preserve.

"A sled hill would be fabulous," she said.

Lake Villa Township Supervisor Dan Venturi stopped by to review the plans, too. He hopes forest district leaders will use Hastings Lake to connect to existing trails outside the preserve's boundaries, ones that eventually could lead to the lengthy Des Plaines River Trail and other systems.

"It's not going to happen in five years. But if you don't plan for it now, it'll all be developed and you'll never be able to do it."

Two more open houses will be held in early 2008, officials said.

Hahn hopes the board will approve a master development plan for Hastings Lake in about a year. Work could begin on the improvements included in such a plan in 2009, he said.