Patch Readers Sound Off on Three Oaks Proposal

about an agreement proposed by Lake in the Hills Village Trustee Bob Huckins that would allow Lake in the Hills residents to use the new and very popular Three Oaks Recreation Area in Crystal Lake for free.

In exchange, Crystal Lake residents would be able to use the beaches on Woods Creek Lake in Lake in the Hills at a discounted rate of $2 — which is how much Lake in Lake in the Hills residents pay. Crystal Lake residents get into Three Oaks for free, while others have to pay a fee. 

We heard from a lot of readers who had strong opinions on this proposal. We have included some of those comments below. Let us know what you think about the proposal in the comments section below. 

• : WAIT!!! You can use our lake for free and we have to pay $2 to use yours? Do all politicians have a mental virus that disables them from normal every day thinking?
• : I was going to say Woods Creek is a cesspool that you have to pay $2 for and Three Oaks is a giant clear man made lake. I can't believe they charge anything really! It's dry half the time. These people are so washed up in their ways it's becoming absurd. I saw a news segment on TV stating it was one of TWO lakes in the entire Chicagoland vicinity that had beaches closed for a portion of the summer because of unusually high bacteria levels. The other one was in some far south suburb and for a moment was shocked that our particular lake was singled out. It's been closed off and on throughout May, June & July if you search Google. 
• : Want to use Three Oaks for free? Then move to Crystal Lake. We pay the taxes to support and maintain the facilities. It shouldn't be free for anyone except Crystal Lake residents. And to take it one step further, it should be totally off limits to any non-Crystal Lake resident...
• : So CL residents will pay a $2 fee to use the lake in LITH, and LITH residents will get to use the CL lake for free. He must be another victim of the political mental virus. LITH residents please vote this guy out of office.
• : Three Oaks Lake is not Free to us CL residents - WE PAY TAXES which includes the fees to maintain our lake. The Crystal Lake City Council spent about $14 million to build Three Oaks Recreation Area. Guests of residents only pay $1. The fees are not outragous when you consider that taxpayers pay their share via taxes so they are not charged at the gate. Comparing the non-resident fees to other rec areas that charge residents fees is unrealistic. Those cities are double billing residents by taxing them and then charging at the gate.
• : Let me see. Our beautiful new beach would be packed with both CL and LITH residents and the trade off we would have the choice to use their lake for $2. No thank you!
• : Why would CL residents have to pay for the use of LITH Woods Creek Lake? If that happens, then we will have Cary asking for free or reduced admission and Fox River Grove asking for free or reduced admission because they shop in Crystal Lake or something to that nature. I think it's only fair to leave it free for CL residents only. This will as well cut down on the "over crowding" at the peak times of the seasons as well as giving residents an advantage of renting any of the facilites and as well the rentals of any of the water crafts during the season. Just my opinion:)
• : What is Woods' Creek Lake? It does not exist on the first page of Google.
• : Are you kidding me? This Huckins guy is wacked.
• : ummm...No thanks. A fair trade means giving the same value in return.
• : this is a joke - right? just because we're neighbors doesn't mean we have to share. And thanks for the great "discount" on using your lake.
• : OK People, wake up....It is not "Free" to us CL residents - WE PAY TAXES which pay for the use of the rec area. LITH residents do NOT pay CL taxes so why in the hell should us CL residents pay for LITH residents to use our recreational area?? I certainly hope that CL politicians will not force their constituants to pay the taxes to afford other city residents the benefits.
• : ....another question....why would CL residents want to go to Woods Creek Lake when we have our own rec area?? I have never even heard of WCL.

Tell us what you think about the proposal in the comments below!