Lake Villa surprises mayor with park dedicated to him

When Lake Villa Mayor Frank Loffredo saw his 93-year-old mother at the grand opening of the village's 60-acre park, he thought she there to see his granddaughter's dance performance.

Instead, she was attending the surprise dedication of the park in his name. The park was dedicated July 17.

"It was an incredible surprise because they had the sign there it was covered and I didn't even notice it," Loffredo said. "I thought my mother was there because my granddaughter was there performing for a dance program."

Rich Coles, former parks committee chairman, said the idea to name the park after Loffredo came from within the village government. Coles said Loffredo started just about every program in Lake Villa, including the Celebration of Summer, Lake Villa Days, the historical society and the economic development plan.

"Everybody got together and thought, after 32 years working for the village, how do you reward somebody?" Coles said. "It was the perfect opportunity. The park had no name."

Loffredo is serving his fifth term as mayor, after previously serving on the planning commission and as a village trustee.

"To be a representative of all of those people that worked on the park over the years will stand out in my lifetime as one of the definite high points," he said.

The freshly named Frank M. Loffredo Park, which is located off Route 83 near the Lehmann Mansion, includes a skateboard park, a disc golf course, an artificial ice rink that will be flooded in the winters, baseball and football fields, basketball courts and a milelong fitness trail.

"It was a shock and awe," Coles said. "I have never seen him with nothing to say before."

The park was funded through a state grant geared toward preserving open park spaces around development.

"It was an incredible surprise and a tremendous honor," Loffredo said.