‘In the home stretch’: Paulus Park project in Lake Zurich on track for early June completion
Lake Zurich is focusing this spring on improvements at two popular parks with beaches on the namesake lake after the village recently adopted a master plan for future projects at five key parks.
On the west side, work related to an expanded new splash pad and other amenities continues at Paulus Park, 200 S. Rand Road (Route 12). Paulus is the largest at 41 acres and most visited of the village’s 32 parks.
On schedule to be completed in early June, remaining work in what has been a multimillion effort over the past few years includes restroom renovations; walkways; equipment for a renovated and expanded splash pad; sound and lighting equipment for the new permanent band shell; and, landscaping throughout the grounds, said Bonnie Caputo, recreation director.
“We’re in the home stretch,” she said.
On the east side of the lake in the downtown area, heavy equipment is rolling to install new paths, expand the parking lot and make beach area enhancements as part of a $1.61 million project at Breezewald Park, 125 N. Old Rand Road.
On track to be substantially completed by mid-May, the work drew criticism before approval for relinquishing green space to remove a 150-year-old oak tree near the park entrance and a Chinese Chestnut adjacent to the sea wall.
Village officials said removing the trees was an unavoidable aspect of the plan to improve safety, enhance accessibility and replace outdated facilities.
The work includes a new beach retaining wall and storm sewer and shelter. The park, beach, parking lot, pathways and retaining wall were built in the 1990s.
At Paulus Park, the project cost increased by $453,576 due to utility conflicts with the new band shell and restroom improvements required by the Illinois Department of Public Health to meet current codes, said Mike Brown, public works director.
The overage brings the project total to a not-to-exceed $4.35 million.
For the band shell portion, poor soil conditions required deeper support piers which conflicted with sanitary sewer and water lines. The lines are being relocated and the water main upsized for the splash park, which is near the restrooms.
Splash pad work triggered a review of the current restrooms, which have been in place since at least the 1970s.
“Now, we'll have modern, compliant restrooms to go along with the new splash pad and everything else that’s included in the OSLAD grant itself,” Village Manager Ray Keller told the village board.
Lake Zurich has received $1 million in state Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development Grants since 2019 for projects at Paulus Park.
New piers, expanded walking trails and shoreline restoration were done in Phase 1. Completing the last segment of shoreline stabilization, gathering space with game tables and bag toss, and a scenic lake overlook are among the features of Phase 2.