Lake Zurich expanding Paulus Park beach

By the end of the summer there will be more places to lounge, play and swim at the Paulus Park public beach in Lake Zurich.

The village is converting a wet grassy area next to its namesake lake into a sandy beach, which will increase the existing beach area about 40 percent, officials said Thursday.

The project also will enhance and beautify the area around the new beach and add a new walkway.

"Our lake is our namesake as a community and our most prized amenity," Mayor Tom Poynton said in an announcement of the project. "It is a natural resource that draws thousands each year to our two public beaches."

The work is being funded in part by a $20,000 matching grant from the Lake County Stormwater Management Commission.

The 41-acre Paulus Park is used by approximately 62 percent of Lake Zurich residents, according to village surveys.

"The new and improved beach at our most popular park will be great for our guests to enjoy the summer season," Recreation Manager Bonnie Caputo said. "The new part of the beach will make a great spot to view the annual Independence Day fireworks display, and we anticipate an expansion of the current swimming area in future years."

The existing beach will be unaffected by the work, officials say.

Director of Public Works Mike Brown said officials were hoping to have the project completed by the Fourth of July, but rainy weather has delayed work. He said village workers will have the project completed by the end of the summer.

The grassy area that will be turned into beach is commonly used now for fishing and little else, Brown said.

"It's a low-lying damp area that is really unusable," he said. "It is typically just holding water."

The village also intends to use the grant money to implement anti-goose measures. Options to keep geese away include wildlife statues and bright lights.

"It will let us get better control of the amount of goose feces, which have a lot of bacteria," Brown said.