Local residents wondering about Village Square Lake land

One of the nice aspects of Village Square in Orland Park is the beautiful lake at Village Square Park, surrounded by Windsor Drive, Kensington Way, and Regent Drive. The lake is sizable and includes an area for flood control to the south that leads up to the children's park area, on a higher area about three feet above lake level.

For years, there were two ways to access the lake. One from the park not he south end off of Windsor Drive, (which winds east and west on the south end of the park and north and south on the east side of the park). And, through a small patch of land along Kensington Way on the north side of the lake.

This week, the homeowner (adjacent to a plot of land that many residents thought was village-owned land and a part of the public lake) installed a metal fence around that triangle of grass adjacent to their property.

Although neighbors always thought that section of the land was public property owned by the village, it turns out it is land owned by the homeowner. Up until a few weeks ago, there was a sign posted by the Village of Orland Park that reminded dog walkers to pick up their dog's waste, suggesting it was public access.

View of lake and land area to the west of the home at
Village Square Park Lake

Fishermen used to use the small access area to sit by the lakeshore and fish, while enjoying the many Canadian Geese, ducks and a few tall, white Egrets that have made the little lake their home, too.

Last year in September, the home was sold (according to Zillow.com). And apparently someone discovered the little piece of land didn't belong to the village of Orland Park after all. It belonged to the homeowner.

This week, the homeowner installed a metal fence blocking access through their private property to the 250,000 lake from surrounding the grassy triangle area.

Fence now up around the homeowners property,
view from Kensington Way

Village officials indicated there had been a misunderstanding of the ownership of the property and they removed the Village sign.

"Clearly, the land belongs to the homeowner and over the years there was a belief that it was a public strip of land," an Orland Park Village official said Wednesday. "There is still access to this beautiful lake for the public. But the land in question definitely does belong to the homeowner."

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