May 31, 2010

Dear Residents of Deer Park,

Due to the lack of Village Board direction and financial support and the diminishing Vehe Farm Foundation resources, the Foundation is unable to meet its responsibilities under the Agreement with the Village Board dated January 30, 2008. Therefore, the Foundation is dissolving effective the end of day May 31, 2010. 

It has been an honor to serve the Village of Deer Park and its residents, and to provide volunteer stewardship services to Vehe Farm over these past ten years. We are enormously proud of what we have accomplished for the Village and of the fact that Vehe Farm has become such a tremendous community asset to the greater Barrington and Lake Zurich area.

Below is a high-level perspective on what's been accomplished. To see more details read the Vehe Farm Foundation timeline.

Vehe Farm—Its Contributions to the Community

• All 2nd grade students in School District 220 visited Vehe Farm this past fall. These field trips were a Leave No Child Inside-related outdoor field study experience in which the students explored the prairie, wetland, and butterfly garden as part of their science curriculum. This is planned to occur again this fall.
• Approximately 1600 children have attended Vehe Farm Leave No Child Inside programs, which included field trips of scouts, library story hours, animal exhibits, work days, and nature crafts.
• Vehe Farm's prairie and wetland are considered showcases of what communities can to do to protect our Flint Creek Watershed. Native landscaping of parks and open space is not only "green" but also low in maintenance costs.
• The Village was awarded the Midwest Environmental Protection Agency and Chicago Wilderness Native Landscaping Award for the prairie restoration efforts at Vehe Farm. Prairies are the rarest ecosystem in the United States.
• Vehe Farm is the only village municipal center in the area that is multifunctional. In 2008 the farm was the venue for over 50 activities (private/corporate/resident/educational). In 2009 that number exceeded 100, and 2010 is tracking even better. All of this has activity has been going on plus weekly yoga classes, seasonal soccer games, summer day camp, and all village government meetings.
• The State of Illinois Historic Preservation Agency has stated that Vehe Farm is one of the most intact historic farmsteads in the area.

Working Together—Partnerships and Volunteerism

All of this has been possible because the Village Board over the past years, the Foundation, and many area non-profit organizations have worked together. Citizens for Conservation has donated large quantities of rare and valuable prairie and wetland seeds to aid in the farm's environmental restoration efforts. The Little Garden Club of Barrington has made significant financial donations to the farm's Betty McLaughlin Memorial Butterfly Garden. Scouting organizations and school children have donated hundreds of hours of project work, including five Eagle Scout projects either completed or underway at the farm. Residents and Vehe family members donated the total funding for the Vehe Farm windmill. A significant portion of the architectural and engineering service required for the Barn was donated. Foundation members, too, are proud of the ten years and thousands of volunteer hours they have donated and the many thousands of dollars of volunteer services it has provided to Vehe Farm and the Village.

Vehe Farm—Original Vision and Illinois State Financial Support

Since 1999, the Village's vision for Vehe Farm has been a municipal complex providing residents with governmental services, passive and active recreation and leisure activities, educational programs, and natural open space. In support of this, the State of Illinois gave to Deer Park $476,000 in grant funds for the purpose of the open space land acquisition and other onsite capital improvements.

This vision was created with the input of a committee of residents, community leaders from area school districts and local historical, cultural, and environmental organizations. Today's Vehe Farm is a municipal and community center and open space public park that:

• Provides the community with an architecturally and historically rich community center to be used for multi-purposes (governmental, community, corporate, non-profit, and private).
• Offers passive and active recreation for children, families, and seniors.
• Emphasizes Deer Park's quality of life and beautiful open space, and preserves its farming history.
• Provides students an excellent and rare outdoor environmental field study site.

Challenges

Sure, there have been political and financial challenges to this. Because the Village decided to fund barn construction out of current assets rather than issuing a bond, the barn project competed directly with other village programs for funding, and of concern to residents was the impact of this on village roads and infrastructure. Barn construction costs exceeded the original budget as the result of the general contractor's defaulting on his obligations; however, final construction costs were very much in line with recent construction costs for other less functional municipal centers in the surrounding communities. Unfortunately, the facts underlying these challenges have been frequently distorted and misrepresented.
Certain modest future expenditures at Vehe Farm are needed. The exterior of the Village Office has deteriorated significantly and interior improvements should be made to cost effectively make it more functional. The outbuildings, which define the historic farmstead, are in critical need of stabilization. The public paths should be made accessible for seniors and handicapped residents.

Vehe Farm—The Future

Vehe Farm has been widely recognized as a significant asset to Deer Park and the surrounding communities. The Village deserves much credit for its foresight in developing this project. The barn is a highly energy efficient and wonderful venue for community activities. The entire farm has contributed to the education and health of our children, and is a strong statement about a community preserving its history and open space. And, finally, Vehe Farm shows Deer Park's past commitment to valuing volunteerism.

It is our hope that village leadership will responsibly and objectively manage and maintain the Vehe Farm investment so that Vehe Farm can be here for future generations to enjoy and share with their families.

With our most profound appreciation for the opportunity
we've had to serve Deer Park and Vehe Farm,

The Vehe Farm Foundation, May 2010