Preserving Open Land

There is a peninsula of City-owned land idyllically situated where Boone Creek meets the Fox River. It is a large plot of rare unused land in the Downtown District just east of Green Street, where the Riverwalk could connect to pave a path for residents to enjoy a quiet respite in a natural setting on the water, away from the commercial streets of Downtown. This is the site of the former wastewater treatment plant and the current administration has now twice attempted to essentially give this unique land away to a corporate developer to build multilevel apartment rental structures (in 2021 to the New York-based Lynmark Group and in 2024 to the Geneva-based Shodeen Group).

When deciding on future land use, it is important to remember that once open green space is gone, it is gone forever. So what if the City instead converted this highly desirable land to an open green space that could be enjoyed by everyone?

The benefits of open green space to a community are immeasurable, with numerous studies citing both the mental and physical health benefits of spending time in nature. To name just a few benefits, spending time in nature has been linked to stress reduction, improved cognitive function, lowered blood pressure, decreased anxiety, and improved cardiovascular health. This particular location is especially beneficial because it is surrounded by water, or blue space, which further increases the health benefits. Preserving accessible open green space is a simple and low-cost way a City can make a long-term investment in the health and well-being of its residents. Additionally, creating this space would add value to the surrounding area, as maintained green space is highly desirable and increases property values, whereas as multilevel apartment rental structures decrease property values.

For ease and clarity, let’s call the former wastewater treatment plant site Centerville Park because wastewater treatment plant, even former, sounds unappealing. For reference, Centerville is the historic name of the older east side of McHenry, centered around the streets of Green, Pearl and Riverside.

Because of the high potential for contaminated land underneath due to the previous use, Centerville Park should focus on flora that will contribute to the remediation of the soil, as well as reintroducing native trees and plants to the area. Centerville Park should be modeled as an open space with wheelchair and stroller-accessible paths winding through native trees and large swaths of open land for passive activities. What Centerville Park should not have is playground equipment (nearby Veteran’s Park serves that need), boat docks (too much noise pollution), or covered pavilions (expensive upkeep and encourages long-term loitering). Centerville Park needs to be a “third place” where residents can meet outside of their home or work/school to enjoy a quiet place on the water that is free and accessible to everyone.

With Centerville Park residing entirely within the Downtown TIF District, funding for this park can be paid for with funds from the Special TIF Allocation Fund, meaning funding would come from money that can only be spent in the TIF zone. In other words, money earmarked for other neighborhood City parks would not be redirected to fund this park.

On the west side of town is Ward 7’s Cold Springs Park, a 46-acre area of sedge meadow, wet prairies, and woodlands. As the City’s largest natural park, it is an important preservation area for both the indigenous flora and a vital habitat for wildlife. It is also one of the most neglected parks in the entire City (read more about Cold Springs Park HERE).

Cold Springs Park was deeded to the City by the developer with the intention that it would remain a passive park, serving as a wetlands and nature preserve with a maintained hiking trail.  Multiple notarized affidavits from 2009 by original homeowners in the surrounding Park Ridge Estates neighborhood stated that when they purchased their homes, they were assured by the City that Cold Springs Park would remain as such. However, the City has not maintained the land, with overgrowth blocking the hiking path and litter scattered throughout.

I suspect the reason behind the neglect of Cold Springs Park is because the City would like to repurpose this park into a disc golf course. The City first attempted to convert Cold Springs Park into a disc golf course in 2009, with discussions ending in October 12th of that same year due to projected costs. Again, on October 16th, 2023, a discussion item came before City Council about converting Cold Springs Park into a disc golf course. This, fortunately, did not have enough support to proceed. However, in the recently released Parks and Recreation Master Plan from 2024, a championship-level disc golf course was again suggested for Cold Springs Park.

Priority needs to be given to protect and preserve this vulnerable green space.  Because the City allowed Cold Springs Park to degrade so badly, City money will need to be invested to restore. One way to help fund this restoration is through the Illinois’ Open Space Land Acquisition and Development Grant (OSLAD Grant). This is a state program that dollar-for-dollar matches City funds for the purpose of improving municipal parks. Woodstock received $600,000 in 2023 for an inclusive park and another $600,000 in 2024 for a splash pad. McHenry has not applied for this grant.

The two main access points to Cold Springs Park are via DePaul Court and Ponca Street, with a limited amount of parking for each (10-12 spots and four spots, respectively). These are established residential streets so it is important to create alternative access points that do not disrupt residents. The best and most-effective way to create an additional access point is by connecting the hiking trail in Cold Springs Park to the McHenry County Conservation District Prairie Path. The Prairie Path is 26 miles of trail that stretches from Algonquin to Wisconsin and borders the park to the east. While not creating additional vehicle parking, establishing a maintained access point to the well-connected Prairie Path will increase walkable access, eliminating the need for additional vehicle parking.

Once the preserved open spaces of Centerville Park and a restored Cold Springs Park prove to be desirable additions to the community, the City can explore acquiring additional open land throughout McHenry for preservation. Funding for future open green spaces can be done through a mix of land donation, government and private grants, and taxpayer funds. Passive parks of open green space would be an appropriate use of taxpayer’s money because passive parks increase property values, as well as serve as an investment in the health and well-being of residents (for reference, active parks, such as pickleball courts or spaces with performance pavilions actually decrease property values in nearby homes).

As the east side of McHenry was historically called Centerville, the west side was known as Gagetown, named after George Gage, the region’s first state senator from 1854 who was instrumental in the development of the west side of McHenry. In the long-term, to complement Centerville Park, there should be a Gagetown Park on the west side of town. As McHenry has no designated historical district, Centerville Park and Gagetown Park would be an ideal way to both preserve open land, as well as acknowledge the history of the City.