Winnetka Park District Files Permits to Get Elder Beach Open
The Winnetka Park District has officially submitted permit applications to clean up and reopen Elder and Centennial beaches, closed since 2019.
Exciting news from the Winnetka Park District!
On March 4th, the Winnetka Park District officially submitted permit applications to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) for the Elder Beach and Centennial Beach Cleanup and Debris Removal Project.
Additional permits will be required from the Village of Winnetka for the marine-based and land-based work, approved by the Winnetka Park District on January 16, 2025.
Whoo Hoo!
PROGRESS for Winnetka!
And a "BIG YAY" for our residents ... who haven't been able to use Elder Lane Beach since 2019!
That's Great -- What Are the Next Immediate Steps?
The permits require review and approval by the Village of Winnetka in accordance with its newly enacted lakefront ordinances.
In the meantime, the Park District will be preparing bid documents in order to properly solicit bids from marine contractors capable of performing the work.
As of today ... 78 days until Memorial Day Weekend, the official start of beach season.
As they say, "Time is a Ticking!"
The Winnetka Park District and staff has a strong relationship with the USACE and IDNR and expects their cooperation. The permit and bidding process will follow standard protocol, including the final review and approval as now required by the Village of Winnetka.
Obviously, the QUICKER the Village Council and Staff can prioritize the review of the permits, the GREATER the chance to open the beaches to make opening day of the Beach Season.
Here's hoping all goes well ... to allow Elder and Centennial to reopen at the same time that Tower, Lloyd, and Maple beaches open to the public.
Our Town Winnetka will remain VIGILANT ... to inform you about the status of the permits and the progress of this important priority.
As a note for your calendar: March 20th the Winnetka Park District has their next board meeting and will provide an update.
Let's Do This Winnetka!
Our Town Winnetka was co-founded by Ian Larkin and Ed Harney, long-time residents and community leaders. (NOTE: Ian Larkin, in his new role as WCC Chair, has resigned from Our Town Winnetka.) We love our community and have seen our neighboring communities thrive and pass us by over the last several years. Our intent is to preserve and protect what makes Winnetka special and create the future together. We have organized with a simple principle: We need to be more inclusive and transparent in our Winnetka Caucus Process.