Round Lake Beach celebrates completion of public park

Round Lake Beach celebrated the completion of a new 11-acre public park complex on Saturday morning.

Approximately 40 residents and officials gathered for a ribbon-cutting ceremony and several speeches from local leaders.

"Several years of planning focused on the shared vision of creating a park that is beautiful and functional," said Round Lake Beach Mayor Rich Hill. "A lakefront park brings the community together and adds to the quality of life of our residents."

Lakefront Park, located off Lake Shore Drive on Round Lake's southern shores, will provide residents with a natural environment for outdoor recreation and relaxation.

The park features fishing piers, a pedestrian bridge, playgrounds, pavilions and a gazebo. A woodland walking trail will display signs describing the indigenous wildlife.

Round Lake Area Park District President Tim Pasternak praised the mayor and village board for protecting and improving the namesake of their village.

"I challenge other local villages to follow the wonderful leadership of Round Lake Beach, or else they can take the 'Round Lake' name off their water tower," said Pasternak. "This village has overcome countless obstacles and showed real commitment by creating a park for us to enjoy for decades to come."

The successful dredging and cleaning of Round Lake's channel was also noted. Dredging efforts have not only improved the health and boating accessibility of the lake, but have provided silt materials for the redevelopment of community recreational fields.

Lake County Board Chairman Suzi Schmidt first walked the shores of Round Lake 22 years ago. She called the area's transformation "phenomenal" and stressed the importance of local recreational destinations during times of economic hardship.

"This is a beautiful place for a 'staycation,'" she said. "I can see picnics everywhere; the public is going to eat this up."

The flood-prone land that once contained Lower Round Lake Drive, a small cluster of single family homes and several empty housing lots, was purchased by Round Lake Beach a decade ago with the intention of creating a public park area.

Robert Devery, CEO of Devery Engineering Inc., oversaw the $7 million project.

"This park is representative of how the village envisions itself," he said. "It will be a wonderful place to enjoy yourself or to just watch life go by."

Devery said additional improvements are on the way to make the park more accessible to local residents. Sections of West End Drive, Wildwood Drive and Shorewood Road will all be ripped out and replaced by new pavement, sidewalks and storm sewers.

"This is another jewel in the crown of our community," said the Rev. Lisle Kauffman of the Cavalry Presbyterian Church in Round Lake. "Twenty years ago this place was in a state of disrepair. Nobody could have foreseen this stunning park."