Relocated fencing, free-entry ‘Cove’ highlight Wilmette lakefront proposal for 2025

A dune fence that sparked controversy among Wilmette residents and beachgoers last summer will return, but its new location and a new free-entry space highlight a 2025 beachfront operations plan presented at the Wilmette Park Board meeting on Monday evening.

In the lakefront operations proposal, park district officials recommended some changes from last summer while also continuing limitations to access at the south beach that were adopted for the first time in 2024.

As previously reported by The Record, the southern portion of Gillson, which had long been a free beach, was changed to a fee-based space with a designated swimming area in April 2024. A month later, the park district also installed a slatted dune fence that surrounded the beach and limited access points.

The changes prompted widespread criticism of park officials and the decision, and critics have attended nearly every public meeting since.

Superintendent of Recreation Dave Merrill said on Monday that the park district has spent months gathering feedback from community members and staffers to create the proposed 2025 lakefront plan, which was not voted on by commissioners Monday.

“And I think we’ve put together a really solid plan that keeps us moving forward, but it also addresses a lot of the suggestions and concerns that the public and commissioners have made along the way,” Merrill said.

‘The Cove,’ more but relocated fencing

One of the more notable changes is the addition of a free area along the southernmost section of the beach. Referred to as “The Cove,” an area adjacent to the dog beach will not be open for swimming but will be free to access and used as an activity beach, Merrill said. In the area, beachgoers can store stand-up paddleboards.

Additionally, he said the park district is planning on opening Gillson at 10 a.m. this season, an hour later than last year, which he said will give visitors an additional free hour of beach access. The entire beachfront is free to enter and swim-at-your-own-risk during non-park district hours.

While Merrill said that the park district is proposing to continue with fencing (the same one used in 2024), in the proposal the fence will be on “the beach side of the dune,” in an effort to clear up views from the walkways and benches.

“We want to use as little fencing as possible,” he said, adding that the openings will be wide enough to both provide access to the beach and improve views.

“We don’t love the idea of this fence being there; we don’t love the idea of the way it looks,” he said. “But that’s the place where we’re at right now in this plan in order to accomplish the things that we wanted to accomplish at the lakefront.”

As for dune protection, Merrill said the park district is not planning on a permanent structure, but instead will be using a temporary “post and rope” barrier.

“The plan eventually is to keep people off the dunes … and continue to see the growth of the dunes where the dune itself can be the natural barrier,” he said.

Further, he said there’s a possibility that, if the post and rope barrier proves effective, it may eventually replace the beach fence.

Additionally, five new benches will be added to the south beach area.

Merrill also stressed that, while this is the current plan, the park district will be flexible if the need for change arises.

“We understand that this is our approach right now, and as we learn and as we move through the process, we’ll make adjustments,” he said.

Commissioner response

Although commissioners did not vote on the lakefront plan, all who were present voiced support for the proposal. Some, however, said they would like to see more changes.

Commissioner Allison Frazier asked Merrill if the park district considered allowing children under 5 free access, or a discount for residents over 55.

He responded that the staff discussed the fee change, but ultimately kept fees as-is because they’re consistent with other park district facilities. Merrill said that he and other staff will continue to monitor the fees and they could change in the future.

Commissioners also addressed a frequent accusation from public speakers that the Park Board made these changes in closed session and without public input. Commissioner Patrick Lahey noted that there have been more than 20 public meetings centering the lakefront.

Commissioner Julia Goebel addressed claims that the park district embellished the impact of disruptive beach guests in the past, noting that park staff handled different levels of incidents, from conversations to ones that needed supervisor intervention to others that drew police response and, in the most serious cases, led to an an arrest.

“There were many calls; there were fewer arrests,” she said, later adding, “I trust any public body that’s gathering the data for different means.”

Board President Kara Kosluskus added that she went through the focus group report line by line, and “found everyone somewhere in a flavor of (the lakefront plan), so I see that you guys tried to incorporate that feedback.”

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