Forest Preserve In Lake County Expands

LAKE COUNTY, IL —The Lake County Forest Preserves Board of Commissioners approved the purchase of about 13.2 acres to expand Greenbelt Forest Preserve in North Chicago at a meeting Wednesday.

The property, owned by Klairmont Family LLC, is on Route 120, just east of Willow Avenue and west of the Belvidere Discount Mall, according to the news release. The forest preserves has been interested in buying this land for more than 35 years, said Angelo Kyle, president of the Lake County Forest Preserves.

"By acquiring this property, we’re expanding Greenbelt and opening doors to link nearby trails," he said.

The $3.25 million addition will be factored into a new master plan for Greenbelt Forest Preserve, a process has just begun and will continue into 2025. Implementation of the master plan is included among a proposed list of projects that will be funded if the Forest Preserves capital referendum passes on November 5, according to a news release.

Walking paths currently exist just north of Route 120 connecting the Lake County Health Department property to the neighboring Corrine J. Rose Park.

"Ultimately, we aim to add a signalized crosswalk at the traffic light at Keller Avenue and connect these paths to the existing trails at Greenbelt Forest Preserve," Kyle said.

There aren’t a lot of opportunities to protect and enhance a parcel of this size in Waukegan, which is one of Lake County's most densely populated areas, Mary Ross Cunningham, board member for the Lake County Forest Preserves, said.

“We’re thrilled with this addition,” Ross Cunningham said. “It is a critical purchase for residents in this area.”

The forest preserves aims to finalize the purchase by the end of the year.

“We’re so pleased we have preserved this land,” said Paras Parekh, chair of the Forest Preserves planning committee. “This purchase aligns with the Board's rationale for issuing limited land acquisition bonds in late spring, which was to be able to move quickly to preserve critical parcels when they become available.”