from the desk of

Mark Eisenberg, village president

Fall is here, the colors are changing, and it is a great time to go out and enjoy the season. If you like to bike or go for walks, the village is blessed with not only our own parks, but two great recreational parks within minutes from here. The Chain O’ Lakes State Park off Wilmot Road and Glacial Park off Route 31 in Ringwood have miles of walking and bike trails which wind through prairies and woods with magnificent views showcasing beautiful fall colors. The village is in the planning stage for the walking/bike path extension up Winn Road and expects to start construction in the spring.  This path will be paid for with an ITEP (Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program) Grant from the Illinois Department of Transportation.

As you have seen in our eNews weekly updates, Hatchery Park is starting to take shape. The park’s first phase is scheduled to be completed this winter and we will keep you posted as to when this historic site will be open to the public.

Over the summer, the village, along with the Stateline Comets Organization, recognized an individual who has dedicated his life to the athletic development of our children - Rick Graves. Rick was very instrumental in the development of Thelen Park and under his leadership many of the amenities were donated and built by volunteers, including Rick and his family. He has spent countless hours volunteering his time over the past 20 years, coaching and instructing our children in baseball and football and continues to volunteer his time in various organizations. In front of hundreds of players and their families, Rick was presented a Community Service Award on behalf of the Village Board and was honored by the Stateline Comet Organization with the naming of the new Thelen Park football field as the Richard W. Graves Field. I would like to thank Rick and all our community volunteers for everything they do.

Recently the Village Board re-implemented the Economic Development Commission. Trustee Mike Lee will chair his team of community business leaders who are Bob Kerpec, Rich Konyar, and Jeff Gundelach. Under Mike’s leadership the commission will look at ways to increase the economic development of our community, working to bring in new business while also working to keep the existing business we have. Currently Mike and his team have been collaborating with the owner of the now vacated Citgo gas station and new fuel companies that may be interested in Spring Grove. As I have mentioned in the past, it is important to shop locally when possible. Shopping locally keeps sales tax dollars in our community and provides jobs for our residents.

In a continuous effort to save money, this issue of the village newsletter will be our last print version. Please sign up for future weekly eNews and stay in touch with what’s happening in our village. If you don’t have email, please stop by the village hall and our staff will be more than happy to print you a copy anytime.

In closing, I wish you all good health and I hope you have a safe and enjoyable fall!