Residents not getting a kick out of youth soccer
Hearing a lawsuit threat in the middle of a public meeting, Wildwood Park District board members chose to keep mum after more complaints related to a youth soccer organization.
At issue is Inter Chicago Premier Futebol Club's use of Twin Lakes Park in the unincorporated area near Wildwood, a couple miles west of Route 120 and Hunt Club Road. Girls and boys generally 8 and 9 years old play for the organization at Twin Lakes Park.
Some residents say Twin Lakes is a poor choice because there is a lack of parking and restrooms at the facility, which borders a residential neighborhood. They also say there is too much speeding from adults bringing soccer players to the park and cars blocking driveways.
In addition, Wildwood resident John Grimm contends he was threatened by a man representing the park district during soccer play last Saturday. He said the beef was over him taking pictures of three cars parked on the grass at Twin Lakes.
As he aired his complaints at Tuesday's park board session, Grimm said he's considering legal action over the incident he described.
That comment led park board members to agree they couldn't respond to the complaints Tuesday, citing the potential litigation. They postponed the scheduled discussion on the soccer group to Tuesday.
Grimm said he grabbed his camera to photograph the vehicles on the grass because park officials stated they want to know what's happening at Twin Lakes in light of previous gripes. Grimm contends a man directing traffic for the park district told him to stop taking the images and threatened him with arrest if he didn't leave Twin Lakes.
During the dispute, said Grimm, the man informed him the cars on the grass belonged to park workers.
"I have a right to photograph anything in that park," Grimm said.
Wildwood park board President Steve Gauthier said officials couldn't respond at Tuesday's meeting because of the lawsuit threat. He said the board doesn't want to avoid the issue.
"The board does take seriously everyone's concerns, everyone's comments," Gauthier said.
Inter Chicago Futebol Club Director Ernst Cadet wasn't at the meeting, but he said Wednesday he's been satisfied with Twin Lakes. He said there are no problems with parking or speeding and that a maximum of 50 players and parents are present for games and practices.
Responding to residents last month, park officials agreed to install a portable toilet, remind the soccer group of parking restrictions and have employees on patrol monitoring the area.