Parks

 

Parks & Recreation Department Survey

Speak up and be heard!  The Lake in the Hills Parks & Recreation Department would like your opinion on the parks in your community.  There are 34 parks in the Village and your input is valuable to their future.  The survey consists of 12 questions.  Click here to participate in the survey.

 

 

 

There are 31 parks in Lake in the Hills with the smallest as Kennedy Triangle at .13 of an acre, our largest Sunset Park Sports Complex at 125 acres, and our largest Natural Resource of the Fen at 240 acres. The parks also include over 5 miles of off street bike paths.

The parks are maintained by the Public Properties Division in the Public Works Department. Scott Parchutz, is the Superintendent of Public Properties and is the main contact for this division.  Please visit the department page for information.

 

Park Listing

Avalon Park Barbara Key Park Bark Park (Dog Park) Butch Hagele Beach Cattail Park Celebration Park Dome Hill Echo Hill Park Echo Park Edward William Hynes Park Fen Ford School Park Hipskind Park Horner Park Indian Trail Beach Jaycee Park Ken Carpenter Park

Kennedy Triangle Linda K. Fischer Park LaBuy Park Larsen Park LeRoy Guy Park Lynn Dillow Park Nature’s View Park Nockels Park/LaBahn-Hain House Normandy Park Plote Field Richard Taylor Park/Skate Park Rolling Hills Park Ryder Park Stoneybrook Park Sunset Park Turtle Island Park

 

 

Bike Paths

The Village’s bike paths encompass more than 6 miles of asphalt paths and 5 miles of on-road bike routes. We encourage all families with children to ride on the bike paths for the least amount of exchange possible with car traffic.

 

Bike Path Distances

 

Barbara Key Park:
The loop around the pond: 0.43 mile

Leroy Guy Park Bike Path:
From parking lot to parking lot: 0.25 mile

Ken Carpenter Park:
Bike Path south to Heaven’s Gate and Harvest Gate: 0.95 mile

Miller Road Bike Path:
From Randall Road to the end: 4.10 miles
From Randall Road to Frank Road: (mostly concrete sidewalk): 1.26 miles
From Frank Road to Lakewood Road: 1.16 miles
From Lakewood Road to Haligus Road: 0.94 mile
From Haligus Road to the end of Miller Road : 0.74 mile

Frank Road Bike Path:
From Miller Road to Algonquin Road : 0.98 mile

 

Rules of the Road and Path

For the best enjoyment when using the paths, please follow the rules listed:

1. Stay to the right of the path whenever possible.

2. Be courteous and aware of other users.

3. Yield and slow to others when entering, crossing, or turning onto a path.

4. Be predictable but expect other users – especially children, those wearing headphones, or talking on the phone – to be unpredictable.

5. Bicyclists, inline skaters, and skate boarders are strongly encouraged to wear a helmet.

6. If using a path with a group, do not block the entire path. Proceed single-file when necessary and announce upcoming hazards to the rest of the group.

7. If you must ride in the street:

• Ride WITH traffic,

• Ride single-file,

• Ride as close to the right edge of the road as practical,

• Follow all traffic signs and pavement markings as a car would.

 

Before You Ride

Before you go for a ride along any path in the area, it is important that your bike is in working order. Please follow the check list below prior to starting on your adventure:

1. Inflate tires to the proper amount.

2. Make sure the wheels are securely attached to the bike.

3. Check to make sure the handle bars are secured and attached properly.

4. Make sure the brakes are working properly.

5. Make sure your bike is equipped for safety, which would include required reflectors on the wheels and pedals.

6. Wearing a helmet may prevent you from being seriously injured in an accident.

7. Be smart - wear a helmet!

 

 

Park Usage Policies
All Lake in the Hills parks open at sunrise and close at sunset unless otherwise noted. The following are the general park rules and regulations

• Smoking tobacco and the use of smokeless tobacco products is prohibited in all public facilities or within 15 feet of any entrance to a public place, sports field, athletic court, skate park, recreational shelter or structure, public beach, disc golf course, splash pad, and dog park in the Village

• Alcoholic beverages and illegal drugs prohibited

• Parking in designated areas for park patrons. Obey posted signs. No overnight parking.

• Motorized vehicles permitted on roads only.

• Leashes and clean-up are required for all pets. No pets are allowed on athletic fields.

• It is unlawful to litter, damage or destroy park property.

• Bicycles are prohibited on athletic fields and tennis courts.

• Snowmobiling is prohibited.

• Golfing is prohibited within any park facility.

 

 

 

Mosquito Abatement

Our contractor – Clarke Mosquito – has overseen the mosquito abatement for the Village over the past 6 years.  They keep the growth of the mosquito population down by monitoring the ponds, lakes, and waterways for larvae that develop after hard rains. Additionally, they will spray the Village for adult mosquitoes four times during the summer months.

 

How can you assist with reducing the mosquito population?

• Properly discard old tires and empty water found in any container outdoors holding water.

• Empty wading pools at least once a week and store indoors or up-side-down when not in use.

• Keep weeds and tall grass cut short around the house.

• Make sure door and window screens are tight fitting and in good repair.

• Cover trash containers to keep rain water out.

• Change water in bird baths twice a week.

• Pet dishes stored outside need to be emptied daily.

• Keep roof gutters free of leaves and other debris.

• Fill in tree rot holes and hollow stumps with sand or tree tar.

For further information contact Clarke Mosquito at (800) 942-2555 or www.clarkemosquito.com

 

 

 

Be an Eagle Eye for Your Neighborhood Park

The Parks & Recreation Department would like to encourage residents to “keep watch” over their neighborhood parks to ensure the safety and enjoyment of all residents, especially children. To do this, the Department follows the model of Eagle Eye^SM, a program developed by the Illinois Association of Park Districts.

Eagle Eye^SM Neighborhood Watch is an effort to prevent crime and vandalism to playground and park equipment, alleviate suspicious activities in parks, and to promote public awareness for parks and recreation facilities. The Parks & Recreation Department operates Eagle Eye^SM in cooperation with the Village's Police Department.

 

For more information, please contact Trudy Wakeman, Director of Parks & Recreation at (847) 960-7460 or twakeman@lith.org. 

 

For immediate assistance, call the listed numbers:

 

Emergency: 911

Suspicious Activity: (847) 658-5676

Vandalism of a Park/Non-Emergency: (847) 960-7460

 

Seemore says,

"Get involved by keeping an Eagle Eye on your parks"

 

 

 

Fen Nature Preserve

The Lake in the Hills Fen is a 260-acre nature preserve covered with over 400 species of native plants and wildflowers (more than 40 of which are classified as uncommon, rare, or endangered), over 60 species of birds, rare insects and geological features left from the Ice Age.

For more information regarding the Lake in the Hills Fen, contact the McHenry County Conservation District at (815) 338-6223.