McHenry County Blog

In July three nine year olds “torched” $35,000 of colorful plastic and metal playground equipment at Knaack Park on Buckingham Drive.

“It’s pretty sad,” Park Director Kirk Reimer told me in July.

"It happened Friday.

"The fire started about 1:30 in the afternoon,” Reimer continued.

I noticed this past weekend that the Crystal Lake Park District has pretty much finished installing replacement equipment.

When I called Reimer back, here is what he had to say:

We got the cost of replacement through our insurance carrier. I think the value of it was $29-30,000 installed.

They gave us replacement cost, minus out $1,000 deductible.

Asked about the $1,000, Reimer replied,

We’re not going to go after it.
I don’t know if it’s going to be worth it. All indication is that PDRMA will be going after it.

Our risk management pool is looking into it. It’s up to them to find out if they want to go and seek compensation through the parents. By law they can, but I don’t think the case has gone before a judge yet.

They are also allegedly involved in burning stuff on city property…right behind Knaack Park where the old city sewage treatment plant and maintenance garage was.

Labels: Arson, Knaack Park, Poster. Crystal Lake Park District