Lake Forest City Council Approves Intergovernmental Agreement for Lake Forest, Lake Bluff Park Programs

In an effort to provide better programming opportunities for both Lake Forest and Lake Bluff residents, the Lake Forest City Council approved a two year intergovernmental program agreement between the , and the at Tuesday night's city council meeting.

The agreement, which has also been approved by the Lake Forest Parks and Recreation Board, and has been discussed by the Lake Bluff Park District Board, would allow the two municipalities to share and better utilize each other’s resources. According to Ron Salski, executive director of the Lake Bluff Park District, the Lake Bluff Park District Board was awaiting approval by the Lake Forest City Council and will go ahead and approve it at its next meeting.

“This is an opportunity to enhance the resources of both communities,” explained Mary Van Arsdale, Lake Forest director of Parks and Recreation. 

Van Arsdale cited as an example. Lake Bluff does not currently have such a program. Conversely, Lake Bluff has a platform tennis facility, and Lake Forest does not.

The agreement would eliminate for need for either park district to duplicate similar programs.

In addition, services could by jointly promoted between both municipalities, allowing for greater marketing exposure.

According to Van Arsdale, the merging of certain programs will consolidate space impacts, staff wages and duplicate supplies, resulting in reduced costs.

This would not be the first time that Lake Forest and Lake Bluff have combined their recreational services. Recently the boys' basketball leagues were combined to increase enrollment in both programs.

The merging of the two programs allowed for increased spaced flexibility, since the basketball facilities in both Lake Forest and Lake Bluff were utilized.

“We won’t have to cancel programs due to low enrollment,” said Van Arsdale, who added combining such recreational programs between Lake Forest and Lake Bluff will help kids to develop relationships with kids from both communities prior to starting at

Van Arsdale added the agreement will not tie either municipality into capital funding, or programs where one or both communities have sufficient enrollment.

In addition, the agreement will not bring Lake Forest into the ongoing issues surrounding the referendum on the renovation of the .

Last November, Lake Bluff residents voted down a $10.5 million referendum that included $7 million for needed repairs and renovations to the pool, and $3.5 million in capital improvements.

When the intergovernmental agreement expires in two years, both Lake Forest Parks and Recreation and the Lake Bluff Park District will decide whether to extend, amend or terminate.