Council to Review Final Sports Park Plan

Fields designed to handle the future demand for places to play softball, lacrosse and other sports are a central aspect of the final master plan for Lake Forest's sports park.

The City Council will review the plan Tuesday evening at its first October meeting.

Once a plan is approved, an architect will get the go-ahead to prepare construction level plans and specifications for the long-awaited park.

Three parcels make up the 86-acre site where the sports park will be situated. At the moment, the city is  to acquire the last and smallest of those parcels—the 13-acre Rados property.  

In April, the council and approved the environmental impact report for the project.

The final master plan that the City Council will review Tuesday includes:

• Five baseball/softball diamonds 
• Five soccer/multi-use fields 
• Two basketball courts 
• Two playgrounds with play structures 
• A centrally-located multi-use lawn ("The Commons") for hosting cultural and special events, and sports activities 
• An approximately 30,000-square-foot Recreation Center with a gymnasium and multi-purpose meeting and classroom space 
• Parking for approximately 535 vehicles 
• Restrooms and concession spaces 
• Trail connections to local and regional trails and preservation of existing vegetation and open space habitat 
• Security lighting and lighting for all sports fields and courts  

According to the staff report, the Recreation Center would host most of the activities currently offered at , with the exception of senior services.  

Grading at the site is anticipated to begin May 2012.

The City Council meeting begins 7 p.m. Tuesday at City Hall, 25550 Commercentre Drive.