Lake Villa Twp. to build three soccer fields

Children in Lake Villa Township will no longer have to wait for baseball season to end to get on the soccer field.

Gov. Pat Quinn announced the township will receive a $375,900 grant to build three soccer fields at Dering Park at Route 59 and Dering Lane.

The state - in association with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources - also donated $400,000 to the Lake County Forest Preserve District for recreational improvements at Hastings Lake Forest Preserve in Lindenhurst.

The money is part of the state's Open Space Lands and Acquisition and Development program, which issued more than $21 million in grants statewide in 2009 to help fund upgrades to parks and nature areas.

Lake Villa Township Supervisor Dan Venturi said work is set to begin on the township's first true soccer fields. More than 500 kids in the township play soccer, he added.

"Most of the other fields are either converted baseball fields or just open land," he said. "These are real soccer fields for the kids to enjoy."

The grant will also cover the cost of a restroom facility, a picnic shelter, parking and an interpretive nature trail with exercise stations.

Hastings Lake will use the $400,000 grant to develop four miles of trails, four picnic shelters, restrooms, a playground area and a parking lot at the 263-acre preserve. It will also help fund a fishing pier and a car-top boat access launch.

Quinn made the grant announcement during at the Illinois Association of Park Districts Legislative Conference in Springfield, saying the $21 million in grants is being dispersed among 59 park projects.

"These kinds of projects help strengthen the fabric of local communities throughout Illinois," Quinn said. "We are investing in parks, playgrounds, picnic tables and fishing piers to help get our children outdoors and reduce nature deficit disorder."