You Ask, Patch Answers: What Happened to the Huge Flag off Rakow in Crystal Lake?

A large flag that was hard to miss for many motorists heading north on Randall Road or west on Rakow Road was taken down in recent months, but will soon be flying high again.

The 60-square-foot by 30-square-foot flag had become a regular sight for many in the area. Patch received several questions and comments in recent weeks from readers wondering what happened to the flag. 

We reached out to the city of Crystal Lake last week to get an answer for readers and received a response Monday from waste management supervisor Jim Huchel.

Huchel said the flag was taken down in mid-July after a cable snapped and the flag flipped upside down. The city has been in contact with the flag manufacturer and is waiting for the new cable to arrive, he said. 

In the meantime, the flag has also been sent to Flags USA Inc. in Bartlett for some repairs.

The flag had hung from a cell phone tower located Wastewater Plant #2, which is located at 1100 Coventry Lane in Crystal Lake. Huchel said he expects the flag to be back up and flying in the next month.

The flag was originally hung from its location to hide the cell phone tower it is connected to, Huchel said.

The cost to buy the flag, which Huchel said was between $1,800 to $2,000, as well as any repairs to the flag, which will range from $350 to $450, will come out of funds the city brings in from cell phone companies that rent space at the tower, Huchel said.

Contact Crystal Lake-Cary Patch editor Stephanie Price at stephanie.price@patch.com if there is something you would like us to write about or look into that is affecting residents in the area.