A Way To Stop 'Panicking' In North La Grange

LA GRANGE, IL – La Grange is still working with Lyons Township High School to prevent flooding on the village's north side, an official said Monday.

The village wants to put 3.3 million gallons underneath the school's soccer field at Elm and Edgewood avenues, Village President Mark Kuchler said at a Village Board meeting.

He said the project was 95 percent designed, but it is short on money.

The village, Kuchler said, has $2 million for the estimated $8.9 million project.

"We are continuing to work with our legislative leaders in Washington as well as in the state. And we sure would like some county help as well," Kuchler said.

The underground vault is supposed to handle flooding that converges on Sunset and Elm avenues. This is where water collects from what is believed to be a big part of north La Grange.

Over the last couple of years, village and school officials have talked about the project. Under their plan, the village would install the vault under the field, followed by the school's putting in an artificial turf field.

The village appears to be moving away from its longtime solution for the north side, known as the Maple Avenue Relief Sewer project, or MARS. No one mentioned it at Monday's meeting.

Until the high school plan came along, the village had delayed the Maple work because the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District wouldn't allow the added flow until 2029.

At Monday's meeting, resident Laura West, who lives at Sunset and Elm avenues, said the village has taken "action-oriented" steps in the last couple of years.

"But there's still nothing yet. There are no answers," she said.

While La Grange is a good place to live, she said, residents are "terrified" when storms approach.

"That is no way to live, no way to continue," West said. "We really want to get these projects to the finish line and allow us to enjoy a summer Midwest thunderstorm without everyone panicking."