By Bob Seidenberg
Evanston dog beach users lined the circular drive that leads to Evanston’s city hall Monday, protesting the city’s plans to close the beach Dec. 1.
An estimated 50 beach users, many with their pets alongside, turned out at the rally, toting signs imploring officials to keep the beach open, just as council members were gathering for their meeting.
“We’re here because we want the beach to be accessible, we want it to be enjoyed by all,” said Mike Meyers, chairman of the 1,200 member Dog Beach Working Group, and the unofficial “mayor” of the dog beach, which sits just off south of the Clark Street beach
“But we’ve spent four years trying to get an ADA compliant ramp entrance built, and for a lot of reasons, it hasn’t happened. So we’re here to say, ‘Put this ramp up. Do it fast, do it right away, so we can all enjoy it and minimize the closure.”
Evanston officials announced in September plans to close the beach Dec. 1. The action came after a council committee had rejected a new $863,000 ramp design as too expensive. Officials also cited a recommendation from the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) committee, calling for the beach to be closed until a ramp is built as a factor in their decision.
City staff and many beach users, backed by Council member Clare Kelly, in whose First Ward the beach is located, have been at odds over the size and extent of the access ramp that is needed. In 2024, staff recommended in favor of a $700,000 from John Keno & Company, which the city was already using on a larger lakefront restoration project. It called for —a wooden and concrete walkway to run from the Clark Street Beach House to the dog beach, winding through a small dune-like area and using only a short section.of ramp on the beach itself.
Beach users have maintained that a much simpler and less expensive solution exists — using mats on the beach — as the city has done on swimming beaches to enable access.
At Monday’s rally, Lisa Makoul brought her 12-year old dog Riley to support keeping open the beach.
“There are simpler methods to do it,” she said, “and in the meantime other dogs don’t need to be punished.”