Lake Zurich considering $747,000 facelift of Paulus Park

A year after village leaders rejected a nearly $1 million plan to renovate Lake Zurich’s Paulus Park, a new proposal is about to surface.

The village’s Special Park and Recreation Advisory Board and Norris Design, a planning and landscape architecture firm, revamped the plan for the park, located at 200 S. Rand Road, to make it less costly. The estimated cost of the new proposal is roughly $747,000, about $250,000 less than the original proposal.

Mike Perkins, director of the village’s park and recreation department, said the plan still includes the construction of a new fishing dock with an 88-foot path, a pavilion with a 100 person capacity, an amphitheater and a new playground with interactive games. The proposal also calls for enhancements to the park’s wetlands.

“We’ve reviewed the project, determined to look at eliminating things we were looking at last year for the project,” said Perkins.

Keith Demchinski, principal from Norris Design, said the new plan eliminates the creation of additional trails and pathways, access from the south portion of the boardwalk, and decreases the number of interpretive signage. Also, rather than replacing the old King’s Kingdom playground area, officials will keep some of the existing structures.

Perkins said community involvement also will be a big part of the new proposal.

“It’s not just the contractor doing it, we’ll have volunteers and staff too,” he said.

Village trustees will vote on the project proposal at the June 18 board meeting. If the board agrees to the project, the park and recreation board will apply for an Open Space Land Acquisition & Development (OSLAD) grant by July 1. If approved, the grant will provide up to $400,000.

Demchinski said reconstruction of the park is essential for Lake Zurich residents.

“This is the crown jewel of Lake Zurich,” he said. “If this project is approved there would certainly be economic benefits and recreation benefits to the village as well.”

If the board approves the project and the village receives the OSLAD grant, work could begin as early as midsummer of 2013, said Perkins.