HR0903 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0903 LRB097 20925 GRL 67941 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are pleased to congratulate the citizens of the Village of Round Lake Beach on the occasion of the village's 75th anniversary; and

WHEREAS, Development around Round Lake began in the 1920s as a resort attraction for Chicago's working class; at this time, small, wooded lots with summer cottages were available for as little as $600; with demands growing for municipal services, a proposal for incorporation of the community was eagerly received in 1936; on January 19, 1937, Round Lake Beach was incorporated as a village with a population of 200 people; the village's original board of trustees was composed of Peter Crowley, Edward M. Lahey, William Hingst, Frank Krakora, Hana Roeb, and Charles Rogers, and John C. Ness was the village's first village clerk; and

WHEREAS, As automobile ownership grew, Round Lake Beach began to attract year-round residents who would commute between Round Lake Beach and their jobs in Chicago or nearby suburban communities; the Great Depression also made its mark on the village by changing it from a summer resort to a permanent residential community as unemployment mounted in the city forcing people to vacate apartments and move to their summer homes; the village's population steadily grew throughout the decades, with numerous businesses and municipal projects built by the village's industrious residents; and

WHEREAS, In 1947, the residents of Round Lake Beach formed the Round Lake Sanitary District; since Round Lake Beach did not have the bonding power to install laterals and mains, the village passed a referendum in 1958 to finance construction of a system of mains and laterals that was nearing completion on the village's 26th anniversary; and

WHEREAS, The rapid rate of housing construction in Round Lake Beach significantly increased in the 1990s with the development of the Sutton on the Lake, Foxchase, and Country Walk subdivisions; approximately 250 units were built annually between 1990 and 1996; and

WHEREAS, Today, Round Lake Beach has seen continued significant growth in the commercial sector, while the population has grown to a 2010 total of 28,175; since 2000, the village has developed its new Village Hall and Police Station, expanded its Metra facilities, and built a new Village Cultural and Civic Center; the Round Lake Area Park District has also expanded its park holdings within the village and built its district wide Sports Center in the village's town center, while the Round Lake Area Fire Protection District has grown as well; the combined growth of this variety of land uses has made Round Lake Beach one of the main regional community centers for western Lake County; and

WHEREAS, The citizens of Round Lake Beach serve as models of hard work, integrity, and dedication for the people of the State of Illinois; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate the citizens of the Village of Round Lake Beach on the occasion of the village's 75th anniversary and wish them continued success and happiness in the future; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the Round Lake Beach Mayor Rich Hill as a symbol of our esteem and respect.