Renovations begin at Crystal Lake’s downtown Depot Park, adding performance space, fountains, more

The renovation of Crystal Lake’s downtown Depot Park is underway, creating a new “community gathering area” with a performance space and seating.

The space, located by the Crystal Lake Metra station by North Main Street and East Woodstock Street, will feature a covered pergola with metal swings, two fountains, added seating, a performance space, landscaping and increased pedestrian access to “promote community gathering,” according to city documents.

The veterans memorial will be moved from its current location, but it will still be within the park and will be more visible from Woodstock Street, Community Development Director Kathryn Cowlin said. Features that will remain are the PACE bus stop, Pop’s Corn Crib and the number of parking spaces, developers said previously.

“The enhancements are an economic development investment to energize the downtown Crystal Lake district through the expansion of a public gathering space that is accessible for all ages,” according to the city’s website.

Tree removal will start this month, with construction preparations planned for May. Once construction starts, the area will be inaccessible to the public. New native trees will be planted, along with expanded landscaped and lawn areas.

Developers from Teska Associates, Woodhouse Tinucci Architects and Gewalt Hamilton Associates had proposed options of a theater-in-the-round in historic heritage themes of ice harvesting or terra cotta. Ultimately, the city landed on a final design that incorporated both clay and glass bricks with a sign that reads, “Crystal Lake: A good place to live.” A backlit wall with LED lights will illuminate the wall at nighttime.

Crystal Lake’s history of ice harvesting started in the mid-1850s, when ice companies would cut and store ice from Crystal Lake during the winter months, according to McHenry County Living. A lesser-known history is the production of terra cotta bricks and tiles in the late 1800s to the early 1900s, according to the Crystal Lake Historical Society.

Developers have estimated at previous City Council meetings that the project will cost about $5 million.

In total, the new park will have seating for over 400 people with fixed seating for 152 people and room for temporary seating of blankets and chairs for 271 people, according to city documents.

“It ties in the history of Crystal Lake; it complements the area,” Cowlin said at a previous city council meeting. “It has that flowing feel that we were looking for, that native landscaping and a lot of great improvements.”

The city recently completed renovations to the downtown Brink Street Market Plaza and next on the docket is the renovation of the plaza near Crystal Lake Brewing.