Name: Lakefront Fully Reopens For First Time During Coronavirus, North Side Aldermen Say
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Lakefront Fully Reopens For First Time During Coronavirus, North Side Aldermen Say

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You need to enable JavaScript to view this site.The move comes after aldermen and neighbors began asking why lakefront parks and beaches remained closed through the winter.CHICAGO — Lakefront parks and beaches have reopened for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic swept into Chicago — and just in time for the city to thaw after its deep freeze. Lakefront land east of the running and biking trails opened late last week, according to two North Side aldermen. That means residents can visit those parks and beaches — without being reprimanded — for the first time since Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced the Lakefront’s closure in March 2020. Ald. Harry Osterman (48th) told residents in an email to constituents Friday the lakefront had reopened. He asked residents to exercise caution and continue adhering to public safety measures when visiting the area. Tressa Feher, chief of staff to Ald. James Cappleman (46th), said the gates blocking car entry into Montrose Harbor were opened Friday to allow city trucks access to dump snow in the park. The gates remained opened to the general public, Feher said. A Chicago Park District spokesperson would not comment but said an announcement on the issue would be made soon.The move comes as the state is rolling back some of its coronavirus safety restrictions as regions get their outbreaks more under control. Chicago is now in Phase 4, the phase when the state’s restrictions are at their most relaxed before a full return to normalcy. Chicago Public Schools reopened to in-person learning this year, and the city expanded capacity limits for bars and restaurants earlier this month.About a dozen residents could be seen walking along the Montrose Harbor lakefront area Monday afternoon, with a few cars parked on its streets. The roads in the park were plowed, and an officer in a police squad car did not stop those driving through the park. The lakefront quietly opened after months of residents and parks groups asking why one of the city’s most popular outdoor attractions remained closed even during the winter. The lakefront was closed at the beginning of the pandemic to avoid crowding at popular areas. The city , but kept areas east of the trails officially off limits. The beaches and parks along the Lakefront remained closed even as beachfront restaurants were . But through the winter, some residents wondered why the lakefront remained closed when it provided one of the best recreation amenities in the city. Exercising in the open air — especially during the winter when crowds are lessened — was a safer option than working out and visiting indoors, residents have said. “We strongly urge a public re-thinking of these overly stringent rules,” the members of the Loyola Beach Park Advisory Council, who oversee one of the more popular beachfront spots in Rogers Park, wrote in an open letter to Park District and city officials. Osterman said opening other lakefront infrastructure was an issue of accessibility during the recent winter storms. The Edgewater alderman said he and other officials representing lakefront areas received “many” complaints about the issue from constituents. “With this weather we have, allowing people to park their car and go to the lakefront, from a health perspective we felt it was an important thing to do,” Osterman said. Dr. Allison Arwady, head of the Chicago Department of Public Health, hinted last week the lakefront could soon be reopened. But Chicago’s top doctor said that such reopenings should be done carefully as the pandemic is still present in the city. “We’re feeling good about the way things are going,” Arwady said. “We want to be carefully reopening here as long as the numbers continue to support that, and right now they are looking very good.”Osterman said the public’s use of the lakefront will be monitored to see if the reopening needs tweaking. “From a COVID perspective, it’s going to be one of these things where we see how it goes,” he said. . Every dime we make funds reporting from Chicago’s neighborhoods.Already subscribe?  to support Block Club .The move comes after aldermen and neighbors began asking why lakefront parks and beaches remained closed through the winter.Canadian-Based developer Pacific Reach Properties wants to build a 47-story and a 40-story tower each with more than 500 units and retail space.The prominent activist filed to run against Rush, who has held the seat since 1993. It's “time for old folks to step aside and for fresh blood that’s more in touch with the reality of today” to lead the charge, Cole said.Here's a look at what Block Club Chicago photographer Colin Boyle found Monday.

You need to enable JavaScript to view this site.The move comes after aldermen and neighbors began asking why lakefront parks and beaches remained closed through the winter.CHICAGO — Lakefront parks and beaches have reopened for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic swept into Chicago — and just in time for the city to thaw after its deep freeze. Lakefront land east of the running and biking trails opened late last week, according to two North Side aldermen. That means residents can visit those parks and beaches — without being reprimanded — for the first time since Mayor Lori...

Lakefront Fully Reopens For First Time During Coronavirus, North Side Aldermen Say

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