The Fort Sheridan "Deal" included a Golf Course

When the City of Highland Park, Highwood, Lake Forest, the Lake County Forest Preserve, and the Army signed onto the plan for the redevelopment of Fort Sheridan one of the principle objectives was the continuation and maintenance of the 18 hole golf course. When residents bought their properties they were told that not only it would be a golf course community, but that the LCFPD would be upgrading the course in the near future. Residents were promised this improvement again during several development referendums where Fort Sheridan and nearby residents voted overwhelmingly in support of the LCFPD.

Over the past several years the LCFPD property has been torn up, in litigation over a huge dirt pile, and a subject of controversy among forest preserve commissioners about the disposition of the property..... Now the litigation is settled and the dirt pile is currently being remediated. It would be nice if the LCFPD would give a signal that they are willing to carry out their past promises and obligation to the Fort Sheridan residents and all the partners that signed onto the agreement including the Army that deeded this huge lakefront property at NO COST.

The Forest Preserve has done a great job in ravine remediation and beach access for the residents. Now is the time to get moving on the golf course reconstruction as promised. While some commissioners are concerned with the economics of the golf course and a possible loss of revenue, they need to understand that the consideration for the land is still due the Army and partners that made the deal at Fort Sheridan. That consideration is the continuation and maintenance of the golf course. Also, additional promises were made during the past referendums that development money would be used for improvements and upgrading of the old golf course.

A DEAL IS A DEAL and the LCFPD should initiate a process with the residents to rebuild the golf course that it promised to maintain and improve. It is simple and clear that the LCFPD has this obligation and should support us by providing this improvement as residents have supported the district over many years without a lot to show for it.