Lake Villa 14-acre park to open this month

If the group of middle school boys hanging around the unfinished skate park is any indication, people in the Lake Villa area are anxious for it to open.

"This thing is going to be awesome," shouted one of the curious kids watching workmen bolt down ramps at the skate park, which is one feature of the town's newest park just off Route 83.

Heavy spring and summer rains have delayed construction, but Lake Villa's largest park is set to open in the coming weeks adjacent to Lehmann Mansion.

The $700,000 facility, includes recreational football, soccer and baseball fields along with the skate park. It has a fitness trail with exercise stations that rings the entire complex and a pavilion. The disc golf course next to the mansion will be moved to the new park as well. In addition, there is an area that can be frozen in winter for an ice hockey rink, or used for roller hockey in the summer.

Mayor Frank Loffredo said he's pleased to see the project come to fruition.

"When you actually go out there and see it, you'll find that it's enormous," Loffredo said. "We're all very excited. The park offers so many activities from active to passive."

Officials haven't yet formally settled on a name for the 18-acre facility, which early on has been called Longwood Centre Park and Lehmann Mansion Park.

The village received a $300,000 grant from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources about four years ago. The village added another $400,000 to cover the price tag, Loffredo said.

Work on the skate park is almost complete. The exercise equipment is in place along the fitness trail, and grass is taking root on the ball fields. Loffredo said the park will officially open mid to late August. A formal dedication is planned for sometime in September.

The new place joins Glacier, Steven Sherwood Memorial and Lehmann parks within the village.

"This is really taking shape now," Loffredo said. "People are going to love it."