An update from the May 1st Southern Illinoisan...

Rend Lake: An absolute Wonder

BY BECKY MALKOVICH, THE SOUTHERN

To those who know and love Rend Lake, it's no wonder at all that the lake was named one of the Seven Wonders of Illinois.

"Our visitors have been telling us that for years," said Jim Lynch, operation project manager for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Rend Lake.

The 18,900-acre lake, located in Franklin and Jefferson counties, was picked by popular Internet vote in a contest sponsored by the state Bureau of Tourism. The bureau started the contest in February by dividing the state into seven regions and asking the public to nominate sites in each.

From that list, finalists were chosen and Internet voting began to determine which site should be named a wonder. Results of the contest were announced Monday.

Rend Lake shoved aside such Southern Illinois natural beauties as Garden of the Gods, the Cache River and the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers to win by popular vote.

The second largest land impoundment in Illinois, Rend Lake was completed in 1971 by the Corps. The lake is about 13 miles long and three miles wide with 162 miles of shoreline and is stocked with sport fish such as largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill, channel catfish and white bass.

With its excellent boating, camping, hunting and fishing opportunities, the lake draws more than three million visitors a year, Lynch said. Its economic impact hits upwards of $41 million annually for the region.

Also included in the lake's offerings are beaches, the Rend Lake Resort & Conference Center and Wayne Fitzgerrell State Park.

Resort owner John Reilly said he never tires of the lake's attributes.

"From the moment I experienced the beauty of the lake, the incredible landscape, wildlife and recreational opportunities back in 1989, I knew this was where I wanted to be," he said.

In addition to the public land uses enjoyed by tourists each year at the lake's facilities, the Rend Lake Conservancy District also offers recreational opportunities for visitors, especially those interested in golf. The Rend Lake Golf Course has a unique 27-hole course that is played by 30,000 golfers each year, said Keith Thomason, RLCD general manager.

"We get visitors from all over the country," he said.

Benton Mayor Gary Kraft said he hopes the "wonder" designation adds more cha-ching to his city's cash registers.

"I hope it means more people will be coming to the area and spending their money here," he said. "The longer they stay in town, the more likely they will be to visit our antique stores, buy gasoline and eat at our local restaurants and that all contributes to our city revenue."

Lynch said he hopes the contest served to educate more people about the lake's offerings as well as those of other attractions in Southern Illinois.

"We're certainly proud of this designation, but all of the locations nominated are special and we invite everyone to experience the full wonder of all of Southern Illinois," he said.

For more information, call 724.2493 or visit www.rendlake.com or www.enjoyillinois.com.