The development of two new subdivisions in Wonder Lake helped it become the fastest-growing town in Illinois.
Village officials shed light this week on what to expect next.
Of the nearly 1,300 villages and cities in Illinois, Wonder Lake saw a 23.27% increase in population from April 2020 to July 2023, the highest growth rate out of the bunch, according to recently updated census data.
In 2020, Wonder Lake had an estimated population of 3,966.
That number soared up to 4,889 in 2023.
Wonder Lake Village President Dan Dycus told Lake & McHenry County Scanner that the village board is happy about the town’s growth.
Dycus provided context on how and why the village saw such a recent boom in population, as well as what’s happening to meet growing demand.
“Over the last 20 years much of this growth has been planned, but it stalled for several years due to the housing market crash in 2008,” Dycus said.
In 2007, homebuilding company Neumann Homes Inc. was in the process of building new homes for the Meadows of West Bay subdivision, but the company filed for bankruptcy.
This left the new subdivision partially built, Dycus said.
The village found a new company, Lennar, to finish the construction of the subdivision.
Meadows of West Bay will be fully built out by the end of 2024, Dycus said.
“Secondly, we’re also fortunate enough to have a very patient developer and investment group who had the vision to create the Stonewater subdivision, which is one of the largest in Illinois history at a planned total 3700 homes, of which 717 are currently being constructed,” Dycus said.
In response to the growth, Wonder Lake village officials have been “very focused” on increasing service delivery capabilities for both new and existing residents.
“With such an increase in population, the Board wishes to balance welcoming our new residents with the service levels they expect while also keeping our existing resident’s expectations for their small community in mind,” Dycus said.
One of the most significant recent achievements in meeting the financial demands of increased service was the successful annexation of Hancock Drive into the village.
“Hancock Drive, which many did not know was unincorporated, had previously been targeted for annexation several times since the 1960s, but was recently able to be finally incorporated to the Village in early 2024,” Dycus said.
“This annexation will help bring additional business tax revenue to the Village, helping to reduce the burden on residents’ property taxes,” he added.
The village has increased staffing by bringing in a full-time village administrator, treasurer and building department clerk.
The staffing helps the village serve its residents Monday thru Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Dycus said.
The Wonder Lake Police Department recently added two new vehicles and more equipment with grant funding.
Funding for police salaries has also significantly increased.
“This allows for increased police presence within our unique lake community, which must travel around the lake itself to service calls,” Dycus said.
Additionally, the village has invested more in its public works department to bring services in-house, which would help reduce the cost of services and increase service quality.
The village is also working on a new division of water and sewer, which Dycus called a “critical service which is currently outsourced.”
“The aging system which was originally meant to service a 1930s vacation community is coming into an age where it needs repairs and upgrades,” Dycus said.
Officials are working to connect portions of east Wonder Lake to the water system provided within the Stonewater subdivision, clean holding tanks, repair or replace fire hydrants and replace filter media in two systems.
“To accomplish these and many more tasks, it’s our belief that we need to have in-house staff focused on our system on a daily basis,” Dycus said.
Investments have also been made in the village’s parks and green spaces for residents’ leisure.
New public parks and pickleball courts have been added to the Meadows of West Bay subdivision, a frisbee golf course was added in Woods Creek Park and the Stonewater subdivision now has a center park with over 11 miles of walking paths.
The village also has a community club responsible for creating many different activities for residents to enjoy, ranging from annual golf outings, Christmas golf cart parades and a new local farmers market that happens every Wednesday evening in the summer.
Dycus said the village is excited about the growth and is looking forward to Wonder Lake’s future.