By Adrienne Fawcett

The Lake Forest Historic Preservation Commission unanimously approved the Forest Park Master Plan and granted a Certificate of Appropriateness at its meeting on May 16. Next stop on the Master Plan’s three-year journey is City Council, which meets at City Hall on May 21. If City Council accepts the Master Plan, the Forest Park Project Board will begin the process of having construction documents created. (LakeForestTV taped the meeting; click here to view)

HPC’s votes were unanimous among the five commissioners who were present at the meeting. But they did add two conditions:

1. That engineering studies must be completed prior to any construction near the bluff to assure the integrity of the bluff is not negatively impacted;
2. That the implementation of the Master Plan will not alter the status of Forest Park’s Historic Designation—they agreed that this latter stipulation be written into the Master Plan.

Prior to voting, HPC heard presentations by Forest Park Project Board director Ralph Gesualdo, as well as from Cliff Miller, who headed the Project Board’s landscape committee; and Gail Hodges and Arthur Miller from the Project board’s Historic Preservation Review Committee.

At the Wednesday night meeting, Mr. Gesualdo and Mr. Miller outlined revisions that landscape architect Stephen Stimson had made to the Master Plan since the Project Board last met with HPC. Those changes included:

1. Parking: the Forest Park Project Board doesn’t want to add parking to the Ring Road at the center of the park, but the revised Master Plan does include the potential for four to six parking spaces. “We felt it was prudent to designate where the parking should go if the City wants to put parking in there,” said Mr. Gesualdo.
2. Path: the revised plan eliminated the “northern spur” of the Master Plan’s pedestrian path
3. Plowing: The board recommended that the path be plowed , but that the city might need different equipment to do so
4. Lighting: the revised plan eliminated the stone ballard on the west path near Lake Road and Deer Path Road.

In her presentation, Ms. Hodges said the revised plan preserves the park’s historical and cultural values, including the ring road and what remains of the native landscape. She spoke of how she came to change her position about amenities such as stone park benches, picnic tables and bike racks. Ms. Hodge said that upon review, she now believes stone is an appropriate material because it is natural, will weather well, and will become part of the general natural scene, thus having minimal visible impact. Ms. Hodges shared the text of her presentation with GazeboNews—please click here to read it.
Several residents spoke during the HPC meeting’s public comment period—some in favor of the Master Plan, some against it.

Jan Gibson, a Lake Forest resident, spoke out against the stone amenities, saying that stone looks contrived and makes a false history of the park.

“Just as windows, doors and the roofline make or break a house, so do landscape design amenities,” Ms. Gibson said. “If you accept these stone amenities, it’s like putting a modern window in a classically designed house. “

Rommy Lopat said the revised plan still has too many inconsistencies, and she questioned whether the process had been open to the public.

“The planning process was inclusive only if you agreed with it,” said Ms. Lopat. “I did agree in large part with the Historic Preservation Advisory Committee’s report, of which I was an author. We said, for example, that amenities that conveyed a contrived appearance should be avoided. Since it was a draft report, I naturally thought that the elements we left open to debate—such as the paths—would come back to us. But, alas, that did not happen. A meeting of the HPC subcommittee has not been called since March of 2011. If we had kept meeting, we might have been able to vet the plan and spare everyone this ordeal. “

Lake Forest resident Virginia McTier and Craig Bergmann both spoke in favor of the plan urged the HPC commissioners to approve it.

Prue Beidler likened the Master Plan to the Market Square restoration and said fundraising for Forest Park can’t begin until the Master Plan moves forward.

“It is time,” she said. “I’ve been through an identical process with Market Square. There will always be people who disagree. Everyone gets to have their own views. I do not agree this hasn’t been a good public process. This is as good a process as we’ve had.”

Lake Forest resident Pauline Mohr asked a question that HPC wound up incorporating into the language of its approval:

“If and when this proposed plan is implemented,” she asked, “Will the park still qualify for listing on the National Register?”

HPC commissioners revisited that point later in the meeting and decided the Master Plan should emphasize the importance of maintaining the park’s designation.

LFTV video taped last night’s meeting and put it on the City of Lake Forest’s Youtube channel. Here it is:

Lake Bluff Park District's Noah Mach gets help from local Scouts

Exactly how does the Lake Bluff Park District make our parks looks so perfect? Noah Mach, Lake Bluff Park District Grounds Manager and his staff make it look easy!  They maintain a handful of parks, baseball fields, the beach, the dog beach and much more, all while lending a helping hand to some second grade Cub Scouts and Brownies.  When asked by Cub Scout and Brownie leaders for a favor, he gladly accepted to help the boys and girls fulfill their yearly conservation requirements.  His assignment for them was to plant perennials in front of the Artesian Field House.  These gregarious Scouts planted over thirty day lilies and hostas with his guidance.  Please check out their beautiful work!   A BIG thank you to Noah Mach and the Lake Bluff Park District for helping out our Scouts!

Lake Bluff Cub Scouts and Brownies fulfilled their conservation requirements while helping out at Artesian Park

American Legion Post 510 will observe Memorial Day in Lake Bluff at 9 am on Monday, May 28 with a service at the Gazebo on the Village Green.

Captain Eric Johnson, USN, is the featured speaker. State Senator Susan Garrett, D-29 and State Representative Karen May, D-58 will read the Necrology. Village Trustee Kathy O’Hara will lead the Pledge of Allegiance. Lake Forest High School student Sally Lape will be the soloist accompanied by the LFHS School Band under the direction of Janene Kessler. Lake Bluff Scout Troop 42 will conduct the flag raising.

Marine Air Control Group 48 Firing Detail will salute fallen comrades. LFHS buglers Alex Levin and John Marwede will perform Taps. Reverend Debbie Fisher, Pastor, Grace United Methodist Church of Lake Bluff will deliver the Invocation and Benediction. Student Council member Chris Fischer, Lake Bluff Middle School, will present the Gettysburg Address. Lake Bluff resident Esther Fetherolf will recite ”In Flanders Field”.

Refreshments will be served in the Community Room of the Public Safety Building after the ceremony. Friends, families and neighbors are welcome. For more information contact Post 510 Commander David Cimarrusti at 847-234-7110.

School House Rock Live, Jr.

• Performance camp for kids incoming grades 1 – 4, (ages 6 to 10)
• June 11 – to July 7
• 9am to 2pm, Monday through Thursday
• Classes taught by seasoned theatre professionals
• SIGN UP ONLY THROUGH DISTRICT 67 BRAINSTORMERS
• Click Here for Registration Form
• Registrations can be dropped off or mailed to the District 67 office located at 300 South Waukegan Road, or faxed to 847-234-5132.

Beauty & The Beast

• Performance camp for kids incoming grades 5 – 12
• June 11 – July 11
• 9am to 2pm, Monday through Friday
• Conservatory-style training in many aspects of performance art including; auditioning, set design, costuming, rehearsal and performance.
• SIGN UP: CLICK HERE

Shakespeare, Intensive Camp for Teens

• July 16-27
• 12-4pm, Monday through Friday
• This inaugural intensive provides an opportunity for a small number of teenagers to act as an Elizabethan ensemble.
• Each ensemble member will have two scenes to showcase their new skills as verse speakers and stage combatants.
• Taught by two actors who have a combined 17 years experience as full time theater professionals in an equity ensemble Shakespeare House.

As one effort to further promote train safety, the City of Lake Forest and Union Pacific Railroad invite riders aboard the Public Safety Outreach Passenger Train on June 5, 2012. The purpose of this very special free train ride is to allow passengers to learn about Union Pacific’s crossing accident reduction education and Safety Outreach Program. Participants will learn about these efforts to decrease grade crossing, pedestrian and trespass incidents as well as improve communication between Union Pacific and its valued customers and community partners.

The vintage 1950s-era passenger train car will stop at the East Side Train Station in Lake Forest on Tuesday, June 5 10 10:10 a.m. and will return to Lake Forest at 11:40 a.m. Space is limited to the first 100 people that register. A box lunch will be provided, and there is no cost for the ride or lunch.

Please register for the UP Cares Safety Train ride at upsafetytrain@yahoo.com no later than May 30, 2012 or call 402.233.1674 to sign up or for further information. When registering, please indicate the number of people who will be riding.

Vote Lake Bluff will be conducting a Village Board/Village Clerk/Library Board candidate recruiting, interviewing and endorsement process throughout the fall in advance of the April 2013 election. The organization’s website is www.votelakebluff.org. Individuals interested in serving on the Steering Committee should contact either Ed Duffy (847-482-0836) or Jim Gillen (847-234-6736).

George H. McCaskey, Chairman, Chicago Bears, and Rebecca Mullen, Executive Director, Reading Power, with first and second grade A.J. Katzenmeier /Reading Power students, in North Chicago.

By Mindy Mooney, a Reading Power volunteer

Reading Power scored a touchdown last week when Chicago Bears Chairman George H. McCaskey paid a special visit to A.J. Katzenmeier School in North Chicago to read to 40 first and second graders. Not even the NFL draft could keep McCaskey from coaching these eager young students on the importance of reading.

McCaskey’s obvious excitement to be addressing these students along with his delight in children’s literature knew no bounds. Comical and physically dramatic, words loud and soft leapt off the pages as he read two fictional stories eliciting howls of laughter from both students and adults.

In an unscripted moment, a second grade boy pulled an ’80s tribute book on the Bears from the library shelves. Thrilled and proud, McCaskey appeared emotional as he pointed to pictures of his grandfather, George S. Halas, founder of the Chicago Bears. Students politely scrambled to ask questions, which McCaskey answered, neither offensively nor defensively, but honestly and respectfully.

Reading Power, led by Executive Director Rebecca Mullen, is a literacy tutoring organization serving the elementary schools of North Chicago. Its mission is to instill in the students a love of reading and writing. This goal is accomplished through an independent tutoring program working in partnership with the schools.

Reading Power currently operates in four of North Chicago’s schools and has tutored over 1,200 students since its inception in 2003. Nearly 160 trained volunteer tutors provide one-to-one tutoring. Their professionally led, cutting edge, research-based curricula works! Tutored students make two to four times the reading fluency gains as non-tutored children.

Reading Power believes that by helping children early they have the best chance to become good students, high school graduates and contributing members of society.

George H. McCaskey’s special appearance further reinforced the importance of reading and listening while proving what first and second graders are discovering more every day— that learning can be fun.

Reading Power thanks George H. McCaskey for his special appearance on behalf of the Bears Care Foundation. Find out more about Reading Power, a 501c3 nonprofit organization at www.readingpowerinc.org. Donations are always appreciated. They can be made online or by sending a check to Reading Power, Inc., 736 N. Western Avenue, Suite 236, Lake Forest, IL 60045.

The proposed stone benches, tables and other amenities have been controversial. Drawing is from the Forest Park Master Plan by Stimson Landscape Architects, available at www.cityoflakeforest.com

By Adrienne Fawcett

The Forest Park Master Plan goes before Lake Forest’s Historic Preservation Committee on Wednesday, May 16, a week after it was approved by the city’s Parks & Rec board.

If HPC provides a certificate of appropriateness, the plan will  be presented to City Council at its May 21 meeting. If it doesn’t provide a certificate appropriateness, the plan will go back to the Forest Park Project Board and landscape architect Stephen Stimson for further revisions.

If you would like to review the plans for yourself, please click here to arrive at the City of Lake Forest’s website

Friends of Forest park and others who take issue with the Forest Park Master plan are primarily concerned that the Stimson drawings veer too far way from the park’s historic roots.

“The main problem is that his seating benches, trash cans, water fountains, picnic benches and nine wide (70-150 feet) panoramic views (which requires clear cutting and maintenance of no understory or trees) is too ‘corporate campus,’, urban,” said Rommy Lopat, garden writer and landscape historian. “In the east Lake Forest Historic District, we are seeking to maintain the historic character established by 1857 cemetery designer Almerin Hotchkiss and 1896 designer OC Simonds, masters of the picturesque landscape. The park is deceptively simple in its original design.”

Forest Park Project Board Chairman Ralph Gesualdo said the plan being presented to HPC on Wednesday includes several revisions that HPC requested previously. The revisions include:

• Parking in the central core of Forest Park: There still isn’t any, but the new plan includes an area for potential use as parking if City Council requests it.
• Pedestrian path: the revised plan has eliminated the extension path that fed from the path on the bluff’s edge into the northern woods.
• Lighting: the new plan has eliminated the stone lighting ballard along Lake Street.
• Amenities: The plan calls for 22 stone benches, but the Forest Park Project Board will suggest that the benches and perhaps other amenities be “transitioned in” over a period of time, beginning with 8 to 10 benches, rather than all at once.

“This gives the city the opportunity to continue the process of soliciting feedback once the stone benches are in,” said Mr. Gesualdo.

He said the Project Board’s presentation on Wednesday also will answer questions about the historic aspects of the park.

The group will not present the entire Master Plan but will focus on the changes that have been made since the last meeting with HPC.

The meeting is at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall and will include a period for public comment. There was no public comment period at last week’s Parks & Rec board meeting.

Critics of the stone amenities in the Forest Park Master Plan point out that there is no native stone in Forest Park. This drawing is from the Forest Park Master Plan, which can be seen in full at www.cityoflakeforest.com

Lake Forest Deputy Chief Jim Held and his wife, Kelly Held

At the May 21 City Council meeting, City Manager Robert R. Kiely, Jr. will be recommending that the City Council appoint Deputy Police Chief James Held to the position of Acting Police Chief following the retirement of Joseph C. Buerger. Buerger announced his retirement on April 27 and has accepted a new position with the Global Product Security team of Randstad Pharma located in Deerfield, Illinois. Originally, Buerger was to retire effective September 7, 2012, but “They have asked that I start work with their team on May 29 and I decided to take advantage of this great opportunity,” he comments. The Chief’s retirement follows a long career with the Lake Forest Police Department and after serving The City of Lake Forest for more than 25 years.

Deputy Chief James Held will assume the position after serving on the Lake Forest Police force since 1985. He joined the Department as a Patrol Officer and Investigator, a position he held until 1993. During the next ten years, he served the Department as a Patrol Officer/Officer-In-Charge, Sergeant, Commander and Commander of Investigations until 2011. Officer Held was promoted to Deputy Chief, Operations Division, in May of 2011 and was assigned to oversee the day-to-day operations of the Police Department and was responsible for supervising 33 officers, 9 civilians and 7 line supervisors. Officer Held regularly collaborates with City staff on special event planning and currently is involved with surrounding communities and organizations on programs and events.

Over the past 27 years with Lake Forest Police Department, Jim Held gained the knowledge and leadership skills that make him very qualified to assume the role of Acting Chief of Police. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia, received his BS in Applied Behavioral Science in 2009 and his Masters in Organizational Leadership in 2010. Jim continues to take classes in Senior Management Leadership at Northwestern University’s Center for Public Safety.

Lake Forest typically conducts a national search for high level positions on the staff such as Police Chief. “I am honored and excited to be recommended by the City Manager to serve The City of Lake Forest in the Acting Police Chief role while the search is conducted. Joe Buerger has served as an outstanding role model for the entire Department and I hope to be able to continue his legacy while I am in office,” says Held.