McHenry council approves Cold Springs Park plan, authorizes OSLAD grant submission after divided debate

The McHenry City Council on Sept. 15 voted 6–1 to approve a schematic development plan for Cold Springs Park and to authorize the mayor to execute a resolution submitting an Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development (OSLAD) grant application for the 2025 cycle on or before Sept. 30, 2025. Alderman Mora moved to approve the plan and Alderman Mbani seconded the motion.

The decision followed more than an hour of public comment and council discussion that weighed a nature-based design and trail connections against concerns about maintenance costs, the amount of habitat restoration and legal questions about a strip of land near Ponca Street.

The plan presented to the council includes a nature-based playground and an outdoor classroom, and lists a combined playground-and-fitness cost of $311,686. The packet shows a $30,000 line item for one year of outsourced maintenance, and staff described that amount as intended to fund initial invasive-species removal and to “nurture the native species” in early years rather than as an ongoing permanent annual expense. Director Bill Hobson said, “This is not a final plan,” and that the schematic is intended to improve the city’s OSLAD scoring and to guide a later, more detailed design and bidding process.

Supporters said the proposal would make the 46-acre park more usable while protecting wetlands. Resident Ivory Johnson, whose DePaul Court property abuts a parking lot that provides park access, said the plan “expose[s] people to a natural area” and called the design “consistent with the original intent of the grant.” Proponents also pointed to a looped pathway that would permit short walks and connections to the Prairie Trail.

Opponents urged a more restoration-focused approach and criticized some elements as unnecessary. Alderman Bassey said the plan placed too much budget emphasis on features such as a playground and fitness equipment instead of walking trails and habitat restoration; she registered the sole no vote. Resident Catherine Cohn, who lives adjacent to the park, asked for clarification about the original developer agreement and said the neighborhood’s expectation was that the donated parkland remain a nature trail rather than be developed.

Council members and speakers raised multiple implementation questions the council asked staff to resolve before final design, including: whether the city has clear title to a strip of land near Ponca Street that appears on the schematic as a future entrance; the size of the habitat-restoration area (the schematic indicates about 1.5 acres of active restoration within the 46-acre site); and how the city would phase work and ongoing maintenance. Director Hobson said staff would verify property-title questions, refine plant-species selections with landscape professionals to avoid invasive ornamental grasses, and use the schematic as a guide while advancing to final design and contractor bidding.

Alderman Glab and others said connecting Cold Springs Park to the Prairie Trail would increase interconnectivity and create more local access, while some residents worried that a stronger trail connection could increase nonresident traffic and public-safety concerns. Council discussion also touched on available project funds; staff said the grant application would seek state matching funds and that the city could use developers’ donations or capital funds as the local match if the grant is awarded. A resident referenced a $1,300,000 developers’ donation fund as a possible resource; the schematic includes a proposed $600,000 match figure for the OSLAD application.

The council approved the resolution to submit the OSLAD grant application by the Sept. 30 deadline. The vote was called by roll: Alderman Miller—yes; Alderman Behney—yes; Alderman Glab—yes; Alderman Doherty—yes; Alderman Bassey—no; Alderman Davis—yes; Alderman Cook—yes. The resolution instructs staff to proceed with the grant application process; final design details and any subsequent construction contracts would return to the council for approval.

Council members and several residents asked staff to provide copies of any annexation or developer agreements that define maintenance obligations for the parkland and to confirm property-title status for the strip near Ponca Street before the city proceeds with final design or construction.