A clever description of the views of Chicago's lakefront and skyline don't do this video justice. So we'll let the video tell it's own story. more ›

As Evanston faces its multi-million dollar budget deficit in 2012, officials are looking into new ways to raise money for the city. Case in point: slapping advertisements along structures on the lakefront as a quick means to raise money. This week, the city council gave approval for staff to seek out proposals from third-party advertising vendors, who would be in charge of soliciting advertisements for different city assets in the downtown area and along the lakefront. Evanston residents could eventually see ads on recycling or trash cans in the downtown area, or on lifeguard stands or beach houses on the lakefront. more ›

An afternoon shooting near Rainbow Beach on the South Side has killed three people. The Tribune is calling the shooting "drug-related" and noting that all three victims were shot in the head. Today's incident follows another violent night in Chicago that included a trio of violent incidents at the Lakefront on the city's North Side last night, one of which was a gang-related shooting that left one man dead. more ›

We've been living with this impending reality for almost a year, but the Chicago Park District has announced that more parking meters are finally being installed along the lakefront beaches just in time for beach season. Eight locations have actually had paid parking since last fall (around 1,500 of 4,400 available parking spaces are pay), but the Park District is expanding the coverage of lots covered by meters. Here's the instructional video they produced last fall ahead of those first round of meters. more ›

On Tuesday, the City Council called on Tim Mitchell, Daley's Superintendent of Parks, to answer questions about the District's plans to install parking meters at city beaches this fall. The Park District will contract with Standard Parking to manage the meters, which will charge users a dollar an hour for parking at city beaches. In July 38th Ward Alderman Tom Allen expressed outrage at the deal, saying "The slogan is, 'Come out and play' —not 'come out and pay.' We want to revisit this. People own the lakefront. People own the beach. In this economy, that's the only vacation people can afford." more ›

In a symbolic move, 33rd Ward Alderman and Rules Committee Chairman Dick Mell and 38th Ward Alderman and Transportation Committee Chairman Tom Allen are demanding that the Chicago Park District cancel its plans to install meters in over 4,000 parking spots in lakefront spaces. "The slogan is, 'Come out and play', not 'come out and pay.' We want to revisit this. People own the lakefront. People own the beach. In this economy, that's the only vacation people can afford," Allen told the Sun-Times. The Park District announced in May that they would begin charging for parking this fall. Mayor Daley, already bruised and battered from voter outrage over the parking meter privatization debacle, dodged comment on the matter, telling the Tribune, "That's the park district." more ›

To keep overnight parking free at two lots in his ward, Alderman Joe Moore (D-49) said he will pay the Park District $89,000 a year for three years according to Chi-Town Daily News. Moore says the money will come out of his city stipend (taxpayer money) which aldermen get each year for improvements in their wards. The Park District’s Loyola and Leone parking lots used to be free but the Park District recently approved a 25 cents an hour overnight parking fee to generate revenue needed to balance the budget. The daytime fees at Loyola will increase to $1 an hour. Moore told NBC Chicago, “I don’t have any real serious problems with them increasing the meter rates during the day when parks are open” he said, “But leave us alone at night.”
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The lakefront at Chicago that's open to the public stretches for 26 miles. But one group - Friends of the Park - wants to see that stretched just a bit further, citing Daniel Burnham: “The Lakefront by right belongs to the people - not a foot of its shores should be appropriated to the exclusion of the people." The group unveiled a plan this morning that would see the four miles still considered private property developed and opened up to the general public. The plan is called The Last Four Miles and features a detailed plan on how the still-private areas of lakefront would be developed. The downside? A hefty price tag: the group estimates the work would cost somewhere between $350 million and $450 million. And, regardless of the cost, not everyone is on board with the plan. Mike Truppa, a spokesman for Friends of the Parks, told the Sun-Times, “There’s some dissent. There’s a small group of homeowners in high-rise condos who use the lakefront as their private beaches...mainly in Rogers Park and Edgewater." If completed, the lakefront paths would stretch from the Illinois/Indiana border to the south all the way to Evanston on the north. The Tribune also has a detailed run-down of some of the proposed development plans. more ›

The 2009 Chicago beach season may have officially begun yesterday, but cutbacks on lifeguard hours and increased fees to visit beaches may put a damper on your summer sun. more ›

The Chicago Park District has announced it will begin charging $1 for parking along the lake in the fall, ending free lakefront parking. Along with the charges being applied to the 4,400 once free parking spots, 537 metered spots will see fees double or quadruple according to the Tribune. more ›

Details of how Chicago would implement the 2016 Olympics are coming out as the IOC tours the city. One such detail includes security restrictions that might limit access to the portions of the lakefront for most of the summer. more ›

It's going to be a beautiful weekend. We snapped this shot while riding along the lakefront yesterday afternoon. We couldn't agree with the sentiment more. more ›

Columbus Drive is safe for cars once again. Taste of Chicago is done for another year and city officials are declaring it a rousing success. As though they would say anything different. more ›