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Around Town
Chicagoist is a big cheerleader for the city, but there are some things that even we have a hard time getting excited about. Swimming in Lake Michigan or jumping into the Chicago River are two of them. Maybe it is the dumping. Or maybe it is (jump in the way-back machine, for a second with us) Dave Matthews Band. Or maybe it is the knowledge that every summer, the beaches are closed several times due to high E. coli levels. And studies have proven it; swimming in polluted water can make you sick.
A new study, however, is looking to find out if just having water from the Lake and River touch you can affect your health. Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago and UIC researchers are behind the Chicago Health, Environmental Exposure and Recreation Study (fun acronym for a not-fun subject — CHEERS) to determine if non-swimmers like kayakers and boaters are also affected by polluted water. The three-year, $3.8 million project will determine if there should be warning posted for non-swimmers. In addition to studying those who use Lake Michigan and the Chicago River, researchers will also look at non-swimmers from the Skokie Lagoons and Calumet rivers. Researchers were out on the job this weekend, enrolling kayakers from the 7-mile Flatwater Classic on Sunday.
From the press release announcing the study:
After completing their outdoor activity, participants will complete a second survey to evaluate the extent of their water contact. The research team will determine rates of gastrointestinal illness and other types of illness (such as skin, respiratory, eye, and ear conditions) among participants during the three weeks following their enrollment in the study. This will be accomplished by conducting telephone follow-up surveys, and in some cases, home visits conducted by research nurses. The research team will also collect specimens for culture from study participants who become ill during the follow-up period.
We're already feeling ominous about the outcome of this study. Even reading about collecting "specimens" has us feeling queasy. Chicagoist supposes that if our mayor has no qualms about eating fish from the river, than maybe we shouldn't be concerned about hopping into a canoe and paddling down. But only maybe.
Image via Swanksalot.
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"Chicagoist is a big cheerleader for the city"
Huh? Since when? If it's not about Lollapalooza or Whole Foods, Chicagoist goes all cynical and snarky about everything Chicago-related.
I find the healing waters of the river useful for melting down unsightly carbuncles.
I kayaked in the river several times last summer, it probably wasn't the most intelligent thing I've ever done, but I had a lot of fun, and no scars just yet.... but the river does seem to be coming along. I've often wondered what happened to that kid I knew in grade school who fell into the river (and was promptly fished out) around 1984 .... the river was MUCH worse at that time.
However, I grew up swimming in lake Michigan (both in the city and on the beaches in northwest Indiana), so perhaps I've just built up my immunity.
I'm with #1, if it isn't doesn't involve skinny jeans, "ironic" haircuts, and pbr, Chicagoist has nothing good to say about this city.
1 & 4: Are you people high?
This site often writes positively about local bands and eateries (to name 2 easy examples), and the writers often go so far as to show a naive giddiness toward this city.
I am not the biggest fan of some of the writers here--the political writing is as much a joke on readers what the Chicago Reader did with Liz Armstrong--but let's be fair and realistic. The "cheerleader" description is accurate--and this isn't always good thing to be.
Now, if you mistake deserved criticism for this city's politics [or its mayor] as evidence of disliking the city, I would say you are indulging in unreasonable patterns of logic and there is no pleasing you.
Skinny jeans? Huh?
I swim in the lake quite a bit, though not as much as I used to. While it's probably polluted to a degree, so is the air and rain and everything else. Might as well enjoy yourself.
Since when is the river that color? I smell photoshop!
Do you know why I swim in the lake? because I am STRONGER than the bacteria. Seriously.
Ever heard of the leptospirosis outbreak about 10 years ago in Springfield IL that got all those triathletes sick? Well, i swam in that lake ALL SUMMER and was fine.
Stop being pussies.
Agreed with Spav1 – quit being a big blouse.
Sheesh. More whining about the lake and river? That never gets old for you folks, now does it? The lake might not be in the best shape but it's perfectly safe for a healthy person to swim in.
i had the honor of paddling the course on my stand up paddle surfboard. my feet were drenched through the course and i occasionally was splashed with water. it was a pleasurable experience meeting new friends and joining them for a leisurely cruise through chicago's tributary. it is a lot cleaner now than when i used to thumb down boats to ride their wakes back twenty years ago. as a participant in the health study, i am happy to report that i didn't experience any adverse repercussions from contact with the water. this experience inspired me to do my part in cleaning up the river when the friends of the river have their cleanup event in the future so that one day you too can enjoy the experience of seeing our beautiful city from the water.
only the best,
alan sidlo (aka: shapeshifter)
i swim in the lake regularly. i think all you fools are forgetting it's your drinking water. you can't tell me a bunch of sediment and charcoal is really going magically transform a sewage pool into evian, so people who give me the evil eye when i tell them i swim make no sense to me.
i grew up swimming in that lake - assuming you stay away from the dog and diaper laden beaches, and stick to the piers, it's a wonderful chicago experience. i have had magical nights off the oak street beach pier, floating on my back and looking up at the world's most gorgeous skyline.
on the other side of matters, i was talked into kayaking the chicago river a couple of years ago. never again. too many codoms and used tampons for my taste. yes i'm aware that it's shared water, but it really does flow the other direction.... we should really, really do something about that.