Mayors share visions for Round Lake area's future

Redeveloping the downtowns in Round Lake and Round Lake Park, creating more parks, and the possibility of a new hospital will be top issues this year, the mayors of Round Lake-area towns said Thursday.

Mayors from three of the four Round Lake villages joined the mayor of Hainesville to discuss the past year and give a glimpse of the future.

The luncheon, sponsored by the Round Lake Area Chamber of Commerce, featured speeches by Round Lake Mayor Bill Gentes, Round Lake Beach Mayor Rich Hill, Round Lake Park Mayor Jean McCue and Hainesville Mayor Ted Mueller.

Round Lake Heights Mayor Terrance Lumpkins was invited to speak at the event but had to cancel.

The possibility of a new hospital in Lake County was on Gentes' mind.

Round Lake's mayor said he has been assured by Advocate Health Care that plans for a Round Lake hospital are still moving forward, despite the health care company's announcement Wednesday of a proposed merger with Condell Medical Center in Libertyville.

He said he has been told by Advocate that it recognizes the need for the proposed 144-bed, $239 million facility at the corner of Route 120 and Wilson Road.

He said the health care company intends to continue moving forward.

"They have been very up front about everything and assured me that the merger with Condell has nothing to do with what's going on in Round Lake," he said. "They still see a need in the area to build a hospital."

Gentes and McCue said both will be working on redeveloping their downtown corridors.

Gentes said the village has been purchasing land along Route 134 and Cedar Lake Road to get the plan rolling, while McCue said village staffers have been putting together a plan to spruce up their downtown area along Route 134 northwest of Route 120.

"That area seems to have been forgotten in the past years," McCue said. "We are looking for grants and working with the state to get things moving."

In Round Lake Beach, Hill discussed numerous park projects that are planned or under way for the year. He said the village has $3.67 million in state and federal grants to create open space and parks.

"It's not surprising that many communities envision park and recreation facilities as a key to economic vitality," he said.

Mueller discussed four commercial developments being built in Hainesville, and two that were put on hold.

However, Mueller only glanced over the biggest issue facing Hainesville -- the decision to create its own police force.

"The decision was not easy and is a bit scary, but we've received support for it and we're going to do it," he said.