To accommodate crews working on the Senior Center, from Thurs., Aug 1 through Sat., Aug 3 the Recreation Center elevator will be out of service. On Thurs., Aug 1, from 8am to noon, the Recreation Center locker rooms will be closed and the entrance to the Center will be limited to the southeast side, next to the lobby and the emergency exit.  Also, on Thurs., Aug 1, from noon to 5pm, the Recreation Center’s pool and locker rooms will be closed and the hot water will be shut off. We appreciate your patience during this time.

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Park Avenue Boating Facility IGA Finalized

At their meetings this week, the Highland Park City Council and Park District Board of Commissioners approved an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) for the City-owned property commonly known as Park Avenue Boating Facility. Under the conditions of the IGA, the Park District will have the right to use the property for public recreation purposes for a term of 50 years, including but not limited to fishing, power boating, sailing, kayaking, paddle boarding, use of the Yacht Club building, camp programming, and other comparable activities. No rent or fee will be paid to the City by the Park District for the term of the agreement.

The agreement allows the Park District to make any necessary repairs or improvements to the boating facility so long as they do not impact the operation and maintenance of the water plant or present any threat to the safety and security of the water plant. Also, under the terms of the agreement, the City will continue to maintain all parking lot areas (except for the North Parking Lot, which is owned by the Park District and the storage lot areas south of Yacht Club). The Park District will be responsible for enforcement of parking regulations for the parking lots on the Park Avenue Boating Facility.

“This is a wonderful example of how two governmental bodies can work together to address the needs of the community for generations to come,” said Barney Ruttenberg, President of the Park District Board of Commissioners. “With this agreement in place, the Park District can now take the appropriate steps to ensure long term access to recreational boating at Park Avenue Boating Facility, consistent with the Board approved Lakefront Master Plan.”

“The City values our partnership with the Park District of Highland Park, and appreciates the hard work of elected officials and staff to develop an agreement that will serve our community well into the future,” said Mayor Nancy Rotering. “Formalizing responsibilities relative to the maintenance and use of this public lakefront area will allow the Park District to enhance boating and recreational water activities while ensuring the City’s access to the property for emergency water rescues and the security of Water Treatment Plant operations.”

The continued partnership between the City of Highland Park and the Park District of Highland Park will facilitate efforts to restore the Park Avenue Boating Facility’s boat launch and pursue additional improvement projects to ensure the community’s continued enjoyment of this natural resource.

More information about the Park Avenue Boating Facility is available at pdhp.org. Questions regarding the Facility should be directed to the Park District of Highland Park, Mitch Carr, Director of Recreation and Facilities, [email protected].

Public skating resumes on Tuesday, September 7 at Centennial Ice Arena:

Price:

Participants may register for public skate sessions online or in-person at Centennial.

REGISTER ONLINE

Thank you to those that attended the Park Ave Site Improvement Plan Community Meeting on Monday, August 16, from 6:30 – 7:30 pm. We had over 75 people participate and collected valuable feedback on the plan.

This community meeting was held to review the proposed concept site plan for the Park Avenue Beach and Boating Facility. The meeting included a brief introduction of the concept plan followed by an opportunity to take a closer look, ask questions, and provide feedback to the project team.

If you were not able to join, click the video to watch the recorded meeting.  The Park District has heard from many residents, and the slide below summarizes the trending comments. This slide is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all comments received but a snapshot. Please send comments and questions to [email protected].

Engineering for the barge breakwater/boat launch is considered a separate project and was not presented at this meeting.

About the Park Avenue Site Improvement Plan
The Park Avenue Site Improvement Plan is an initiative from the Lakefront Master Plan Update, that consolidates the various lakefront planning efforts to develop a holistic, sustainable, conceptual site plan for Park Avenue Beach and Boating Facility. The plan considers access, boat storage and amenities, passive and active recreation, infrastructure repair and replacement, and is also consistent with the District’s Beach Management Plan. The site plan is conceptual at this stage and does not include specific engineering, architectural, or construction plans. Concept site plans provide the Park District support to apply for grant funds and budget for future projects. Engineering for the barge/boat launch is considered a separate project and will not be presented at this meeting.

This summer, six-foot sharks can be spotted at several of Highland Park’s public beaches.  You may think this is a frightening unnatural phenomenon, but, take heart, the sharks are signs posted at our non-swimming beaches including Park Avenue Beach, the Nature Cove at Rosewood Beach, and Millard Beach.
 
Why sharks? While we all know there are no sharks in Lake Michigan, the signs serve as an eye-catching reminder that swimming off a Lake Michigan beach without a lifeguard on duty can be as dangerous as swimming in shark-infested waters.  The shark signs are part of the Park District’s new Beach Safety campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of swimming in the lake and provide tips to stay safe while at our lake’s beaches. 

Did You Know?

Be Smart! Only Swim at a Beach with a Lifeguard on Duty!

One of the best ways to stay safe at the beach is only to swim when a lifeguard is on duty.   Lifeguards are the gold standard for beach safety.   They are right there, trained, and ready to respond when minutes count.  The shark signs direct beach-goers wanting to swim to the Park District’s Rosewood swimming beach which has lifeguards on duty from 10am – 6pm daily throughout the summer.  

For more beach safety tips, click here. 

Portions of the bluff path at Millard Park, as well as the benches directly along the bluff, are temporarily blocked off due to erosion on the bluff and possible unstable conditions at the top of the bluff.  Please follow detour signs for available paths through the park.

Bluff Management:

Bluffs are naturally an ecosystem of disturbance. Once made unstable through failure at the toe or slippage on the slope, bluff disturbance tends to continue until the area reaches its “angle of repose” or relative stability. This may appear as a small surficial slump on the bluff or full toe to crest slip failures.

Current Efforts:

The District is working with an engineering and geotechnical firm to evaluate the trajectory of this natural process to determine recommended management for public safety and protection of resources. During the evaluation, because the stability of the bluff is unknown, the path is closed.

Questions? Please contact Dan Voss, Director of Parks, at [email protected].

 Click here to review the District’s Beach Management Plan.

Get On. Get Fit. Get Happy. The Recreation Center of Highland Park has launched its new On the Go Fitness!   The $5 per month subscription provides access to a complete library of the Recreation Center’s new on-demand fitness classes.

Whether you are at home, on vacation, in your backyard, or on a business trip, On the Go Fitness will keep you on your fitness path to a stronger, leaner, healthier version of YOU.   Subscribers will enjoy:

Best of All! 

Your $5 monthly subscription fee is donated to the Parks Foundation of Highland Park the first month and every month of your On the Go Fitness subscription. The Parks Foundation of Highland Park is dedicated to the belief that every resident in our community deserves the opportunity for an enriched and healthy lifestyle. The Foundation provides funding for over $150,000 in annual scholarships to Highland Park and Highwood residents facing economic difficulty with access to classes, camps, sports leagues, fitness activities, and events that promote healthy lifestyles.

  

SIGN UP NOW

On Wednesday, July 15, Park Board President Barney Ruttenberg and Park District Executive Director Brian Romes issued an Emergency Order, pursuant to the Declaration of Emergency for the State of Illinois, directing that Millard Beach shall be available only for use by residents of the Park District of Highland Park effective immediately.   Non-residents of the Park District of Highland Park shall be prohibited from using Millard Beach unless they are personally accompanied by a resident of the Park District who remains with them during the use of the beach.  View the Emergency Order.

The Emergency Order will expire automatically upon the earlier of (a) the seasonal closure of Millard Beach, (b) the expiration and non-renewal of the Gubernatorial Disaster Proclamation, or (c) the State of Illinois designating the City of Highland Park to be in Phase 5 of the Restore Illinois Plan.

“It is especially difficult to limit access to one of our beaches at a time when outdoor recreation is essential for everyone’s health and well-being, however, Millard Beach is a small area and difficult to manage social distancing requirements and capacity limitations prescribed in the Outdoor Recreation guidelines set by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity,” said Park Board President Ruttenberg.  “After careful consideration and for the sake of everyone’s health and safety, the Park District determined it is important to limit access to Millard to residents only at this time.” 

Over the past several weeks, the Park District has taken steps to proactively protect public health and safety by modifying operations at all its public beaches including Rosewood, Park Avenue and Millard Beach.   

Millard Beach
For safety reasons, the Millard Beach roadway gate will remain closed to vehicular traffic.  Resident pedestrian traffic is allowed.  Residents should be prepared to show a valid ID for access.  The capacity limit is 75.  Dogs on leash are allowed.  Swimming is not allowed. 

Rosewood Beach
Highland Park Residents 
Free Resident Parking:  Available at the lower and upper parking lots seven days a week including holidays. (Highland Park City Vehicle Sticker required) 

Free Resident Beach Access:Residents with a valid proof of residency; students of NSSD 112 or Highland Park High School with valid ID; and younger children with a resident parent will receive free access the beach. 

Resident Guest Beach Passes:  Residents may invite a guest to the beach who is a non-resident.  When doing so, residents must park at the upper parking lot and purchase a Resident Guest Beach Pass at the auto-attendant (located at upper Rosewood by the stairs) for a $10 fee. Non-residents using the Resident Guest Beach Pass must be accompanied by a resident to access the beach. 

Non-residents 
Beach Access: Non-residents must purchase a season beach pass for access to Rosewood Beach.  The fee is $100 for an individual and $25 for each additional family member in the same household. Children 4 and under are free.  Non-resident season beach passes may be purchased at the Recreation Center of Highland Park, 1207 Park Ave. West (Mon-Th 6 am – 6 pm, and Fri-Sun 6 am – 2 pm).

Parking:  Upper lot  (after 12 pm, not including holidays).  Fee: $15/hour or $40/4 hours. (Fees are paid at the auto-attendant located at upper rosewood by the stairs.)

Weekend non-resident beach parking is available at Ravinia School, located at 763 Dean Ave. 
Non-residents may also purchase a season lakefront parking sticker for $275.

Please Note:  Non-resident parking is not allowed at lakefront lots on holidays.

Park Avenue Beach
A season parking sticker is required to access the south lot and boating facility. The north lot requires a city sticker, non-resident lakefront parking decal or a seasonal parking sticker. 

Access to the Park Avenue beach is open to residents and non-residents. The capacity limit for the north end of the beach is 100.  The south end of the beach is designated for boating only.  Swimming is not allowed.  Dogs on leash are allowed on the grounds at the north and south areas, but not on the beach.

The Park District Board of Commissioners approved a new name for our new park–The Preserve of Highland Park.   Located behind the Recreation Center of Highland Park, the park was once the location of the Highland Park Country Club golf course.  Over the past year, the property was temporarily named Community Park until a new permanent name was decided.   

The Preserve of Highland Park was chosen following a several-month planning process that included a resident advisory committee and Park District staff.  The new name reflects the park’s role in the preservation of open space and habitat for our community.   

The Park District Board also approved necessary amendments to the Intergovernmental Agreement guiding conservation and development of the property between the Lake County Forest Preserve District and City of Highland Park.  This document was also approved, along with the Concept Master Plan, by the Lake County Forest Preserve District Board on March 2 and the City of Highland Park on April 6.

Find more information on the project, here.

The Park District has formed a Park Avenue Working Group to seek feasible options that provide long-term access to boating activities at Park Avenue Boating Facility,  The Group consists of Park District Staff and Board, City of Highland Park Staff and Council, North Shore Yacht Club Members, and resident boaters. Consistent with the Park District’s Mission and Board-approved policies, the Park Avenue Working Group is working with SmithGroup, our coastal engineer to seek fiscally responsible site improvements that provide long term access to boating activities at Park Avenue Boating Facility. The Park Avenue Working Group’s objectives are to:

On January 14,  SmithGroup presented an overview on lake levels and the effects to the beach if the barge were completely removed.  In addition, the following barge repair/replacement options were presented:

  1. Barge Repair Encapsulation:
    The barge would be cut down and encapsulated with sheet pile. However, the length of the barge cannot be extended nor is there a pedestrian walking surface. (65-70 year lifespan)
  2. Barge Replacement In-Kind: 
    The barge would be removed and replaced in-kind. This option includes a pedestrian walking surface, however,  the length of the barge cannot be extended. (28-34 year lifespan)
  3.  Cellular Sheetpile:
    The barge would be removed and replaced with a cellular sheet pile. The sheet pile can be adjusted to any width or length, which increases the project costs, but provides flexibility.  Low cost maintenance would be required every 10-15 years.  A floating dock is included with this option.  A cantilever dock is an alternative option. (65-70 year lifespan) 
  4. Rubble Fill & H-Piles:
    The current barge would remain, H-Piles installed for support, the cargo box will be filled with rubble. (20-25 year lifespan) 
  5. Rubble Breakwater with Sheetpile:
    The barge would be removed, a sheet pile would be driven and surrounded with rubble breakwater. A floating dock can be attached for an additional cost. (50 year lifespan)
  6. Rubble Breakwater with Raised Core:
    The barge would be removed and replaced with a breakwater. A floating dock can be attached for an additional cost. (50 year lifespan) 
  7. Rubble Breakwater with Pre-Cast Walkway:
    The barge would be removed and a breakwater would be built around a pre-cast narrow pedestrian walking surface.  High cost optional items are an H-Pile with an attached floating dock and the pier or groin can be widened.  Low cost infrequent maintenance would be required. ( 50 year lifespan)
  8. Cantilevered Sheetpile Wall:
    The barge would be removed and replaced with a sheet pile wall and stiffeners. The wall would block the view of the lake from certain points of the beach when the lake levels are low.  (65-70 year lifespan)
  9. H-Pile Adaptive Panel Wall:
    H-Piles would be installed behind the current barge to extend its life. This project can be completed in two phases to maximize the life of the current barge and reduce upfront costs. Once the barge is completely removed a floating dock can be attached for an added cost, but this will reduce the launch to a single lane. There are potential high costs for ongoing maintenance, because the panels can break easily during severe storms. (50 years beyond residual barge) 
  10. Trapbag Barrier Wall:
    A leveling base material and trapbags filled with tremie concrete would be placed inside the cargo box of the barge. Tremie concrete is $300 per cubic area and requires special equipment to place the trapbags into the cargo box, so this  increases the costs of the project. The residual life of the barge is dependent on the stability of the trapbags.  (Lifespan based on residual life of barge.) 

The Working Group met again on January 29, and SmithGroup presented additional options for the repair or replacement of the barge/breakwater including a Trapbag Cofferdam with Walkway and an H Pile adaptive wall.  After extensive discussion, the Working group recommended that the only options considered going forward should include removal of the current barge, and replacement with a new structure.  The Park Avenue Working Group identified two of the options as viable including:  Option #3 Cellular Sheet pile and Option #7 Rubble Breakwater with Pre-Cast Walkway. 

Park District staff will discuss the two options to refine costs and begin working on funding models to be shared with the Park District Finance Committee.  The Working Group will reconvene in March. 

For more information on Park Avenue Boating Facility and the project, click here.