Shepley Moving Back Toward Viking Dodge as Pool Site?

The rumor mill says that Crystal Lake Mayor Aaron Shepley now favors the Viking Dodge site for a pool and community center, so perhaps this graphic by “Heck of a Guy” Crystal Lake blogger Allan Showalter of its fiery demise was in error.

I would say, favors it “again,” but Shepley was not specific as to the location when he spoke  to Crystal Lake seniors January almost a year ago.

Then, Shepley told the seniors that one of the sites was nearby. He was standing in the Senior Services building next to City Hall on Woodstock Street.

“The park district is looking at one near where you are sitting,” Shepley said.

He talked specifically about the old Oak Manufacturing building, where I had my last legislative office.

“The site (the park district is looking most closely at) is a building that is already in place,” the Mayor continued.

“If a pre-existing building, it takes less work (than new construction),” he continued.

I didn’t speculate about Viking Dodge being the location, but in February, the rumor mill was throwing off information pointing in that direction.

That turned out, of course, to be Viking Dodge.

And the Crystal Lake Park District voted to pay $6.3 million for it.

Although, through a Freedom of Information Act request, I discovered Oak Manufacturing’s old facility was in play.

Shepley predicted it would be open within two years after passage of the referendum necessary to finance it–2012.

The city council turned against Viking Dodge in September, primarily for traffic congestion reasons.

Even with an eventual new entrance on Ridgefield Road.  That’s the black line above.

Now the grapevine is saying that the YMCA had decided not to proceed with a new swimming pool, which would have been privately financed, because of the litigation resulting from the deaths of Chicago high schoolers in the. paddle boat accident.

So, I tried to check out the rumor.

I emailed Shepley at his city council address.

It’s been a while since I asked. Certainly time for Shepley to have replied.

Without confirmation the rumor remains a rumor.

Let me know if you can confirm it.


Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *