Fremont School District, foresters swap property

MUNDELEIN -- Fremont Grade School District 79 and the Lake County Forest Preserve District also have entered into an agreement to exchange property.

The agreement, finalized by the School Board last week, calls for the school to exchange 43 acres of property on its western border with 21 acres of property to the north of its property along Fremont Center Road.

After the properties were appraised, Fremont agreed to pay the difference in the property values, which totaled $230,000 or approximately $11,000 per acre. The forest preserve district will incorporate the wetlands/savanna/woodlands into its Ray Lake Forest Preserve. The property Fremont acquired will provide it with land for future building expansion as the back 40 property cannot be built on.

The advantages of the land exchange for the forest preserve include the completion of a bicycle trail loop that will connect to Fremont Elementary School, wetland restoration and nature education. Forest preserve officials said they would work with the Fremont Education Foundation to assist in expanding its outdoor learning environment now underway in the district's schools.

The property acquired by the forest preserve district has become a natural outdoor environment for Fremont students to explore ecology studies, biology, chemistry, agriculture, animals and more.

"The agreement is a perfect example of two governmental bodies working together for the benefit of our residents," said Fremont Superintendent Rick Taylor.

"Fremont students have to have the best school setting in Lake County," said forest preserve Commissioner Diana O'Kelly of Mundelein, who assisted in the land exchange. "You can only imagine what this agreement will bring about for students in terms of the many educational opportunities."