You Could be Snorkeling at Three Oaks in 2012

One Crystal Lake City Council member says ‘the sooner the better.’

Art Koch said he’s been diving in some pretty exotic places in the Caribbean and Pacific over the past 20 years, but the place he’s most anxious to explore is the lake across the street. Koch, owner of Sea Level Diving at 93 E. Berkshire Dr., said he’s been waiting for years to get access to the 500-acre Three Oaks Recreation Area — formerly known as the Vulcan gravel pit. He wants the city to open the place to divers as soon as possible. “The reason I opened a shop here is because of that lake,” Koch said of the expansive body of water that he can see from his parking lot. Koch said he organizes trips that are available for his students to places like Fiji and Grenada. Having a place to practice and explore right across the street would …

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Kim Perkins

1:14 pm on Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Susan the Three Oaks Recreational Area is open for swimming and fishing. I opened last year.   more ›

Stormwater Retention Basins Provide Places to Fish in Cary

Fishing is walking distance for many.

Jerry Pearson, a resident of Cary, said he’s been fishing the same pond in town for about eight years.  “I sometimes use a fly rod here,” Pearson said. “But a bobber is easier.  It’s too shallow for a fly.  "I use artificial bait and I release what I catch," he added. “There are plenty of largemouth bass in here, too." He’d been there about 20 minutes Monday afternoon and caught a half-dozen bluegill.  Pearson was fishing at the stormwater retention basin north of the intersection of Cimarron Drive and Cary-Algonquin Road, which is one of several places to fish in the area within walking distance of one another. He was concentrating on the task at hand, suffering interruptions from his cell phone, answering questions asked by a pesky Patch…

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LITH Trustees: Three Oaks Reciprocal Agreement Won't Work

Reaction from Crystal Lake officials and residents is a factor in dropping the idea of offering resident rates at Three Oaks for Lake in the Hills residents and at Woods Creek Lake for Crystal Lake residents.

A proposal by one Lake in the Hills Village Board trustee to allow LITH residents into Crystal Lake's Three Oaks Recreation Area has been squashed—for now.  During a village board meeting Tuesday night, trustees decided not to move forward with the proposed reciprocal agreement that would give residents of LITH access to Three Oaks and Crystal Lake access to Woods Creek Lake in LITH at resident rates. Lake in the Hills Trustee Bob Huckins brought the idea to the village at a recent Parks and Recreation Committee meeting. Huckins had his eye on Three Oaks Recreation Area, a former gravel mine that opened as a fisherman’s paradise with boat rentals, a beach with a raft to swim out to, splash park and hiking trails.  Questions arose over …

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Kim Perkins

1:16 pm on Wednesday, February 22, 2012

That stinks. Couldn't we offer them something in exchange that made it worth their while like free access to all of our beaches and parks?   more ›

LITH Trustee Wants Three Oaks Perks

Lake in the Hills Trustee Bob Huckins is suggesting residents be allowed to use Three Oaks for free in exchange for Crystal Lake residents getting to use Woods Creek Lake at a reduced price.

Lake in the Hills Trustee Bob Huckins is doing the spadework for a new era of cooperation between the village and the city of Crystal Lake. Huckins is asking the Crystal Lake City Council if Lake in the Hills residents could be admitted free to Three Oaks Recreation Area, an old 500-acre gravel pit. Crystal Lake residents get free admission to the area. Under his proposal, Lake in the Hills residents also would be able to rent boats, kayaks and other watercraft at reduced rates.  It return, Crystal Lake residents would have access to the 56-acre Woods Creek Lake for $2. The nonresident fee is $5. “I’d sure like to go fishing there,” Huckins said of the prospect of fishing at Three Oaks for free. Crystal Lake City Councilman Jeff Thorsen …

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History of Three Oaks: From Excavation Site to Beach Front

The Three Oaks idea was hatched as Vulcan moved out.

Rakow and Pingree Roads formerly ran along the perimeter of several excavation sites run by Vulcan Materials, a company that began mining the site over 60 years ago. After the construction company moved on, the pits were filled with water and left to the discretion of the City of Crystal Lake. The discussion and creation of Three Oaks Recreation Area has taken place on government committees for over 10 years, unbeknownst to many residents of Crystal Lake, beginning with one whose appointments were made by Mayor Wells in 1994. By 2003 there was a conceptual plan finalized for the area and by 2006 the last Vulcan-owned excavation site was turned over to the City of Crystal Lake. Contracts were awarded to local contractors and a home-rule tax…

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Three Oaks Becomes Summer Attraction

Three Oaks offers a lot in its first year.

The Three Oaks Recreation Area has evolved into a summer attraction for residents of Crystal Lake as well as their guests. The beach is a destination for a summer day, a place for parents to relax and kids to play. Resident Harold Palmier brought his family from Kansas to Three Oaks when they came to visit him over the summer. “It’s my family’s first time in Crystal Lake,” Pamier said. “Three Oaks was the only place we could take the kids that we had the time to drive to.” The outing organized by grandpa was a success. “They want to go swimming and play on the playground, there’s so much to do here,” Palmier said as he watched his family play in the combination water park and jungle gym. “It’s taken them a while to bring something like …

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Crystal Clear

Five Ways to Stay Cool in Crystal Lake

We've given you some places to visit while beating the heat.

The heat is here and it doesn't seem to be letting up. It's easy to stay home in the air conditioning, but there are ways to still enjoy what the community has to offer while still staying cool.

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Capturing Crystal Lake: Cooling Off

Daryl Quitalig captured a view of Three Oaks.

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Crystal Clear

Five Things You CAN'T Do This Weekend

We're always telling you what you can do, here's a list of things you can't do.

Five things you can't do around town this weekend:

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Capturing Crystal Lake: Fish Tales

Daryl Quitalig captures fishermen at Three Oaks.

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