Wilmette, a quaint suburb of Chicago known for its picturesque lakefront and community spirit, has been stirred into action as residents prepare to protest the newly erected fence and associated fees at Gillson Park Beach. According to ABC7 Chicago, local advocacy group "Unfence Gillson" has been vocal against the park district's May 12 installment of the fence and the implementation of admission fees of $5 for residents, and $10 for non-residents, a steep departure from the beach's previously gratuitous access.
As reported by Chicago Business, the community's ire has been exacerbated by the perceived secrecy of the Wilmette Park District's actions; Jeff Axelrod, a local resident who spotted the burgeoning fence on a walk, lamented the lack of public discourse, stating, "Their actions show that they don't in fact want to hear from the public or else they would have sent out a survey and invited the public to speak." Axelrod and his fellow residents have claimed that the agenda item "South Beach operations" under which the fence was listed, was a sneaky attempt to mitigate a public outcry.
Wilmette Park District officials, on their part, have remained mum in the face of requests for comment. Their silence stands in stark contrast to the growing dissatisfaction among residents, who have taken to platforms like the Chicago Tribune to air grievances and call for a rollback of the divisive decision. Patricia Smith, a resident for over three decades, expressed her disquietude in a letter to the editor, saying she is "both angry and sad that this decision was made without input from Wilmette residents."
The ramifications of the fencing have extended beyond local frustration, attracting international scrutiny. The Daily Mail has spotlighted the discord within this hitherto harmonious community, casting a shadow on the village's reputation as an inviting and inclusive lakeside retreat. Axelrod noted to Chicago Business that the coverage "did not make Wilmette look good, and all of this, I think, is going to have an unfortunately quite negative impact to attracting visitors to our town and to spend money or local businesses."
As the date for the rally draws near, residents are gearing up to march from Elmwood Dunes preserve to the lakefront in a display of solidarity for open access to the lakefront. The controversy touches on a deeper philosophical thread of what public spaces mean to a community, and whether the economic measures taken by the Wilmette Park District honor the historical precedent of an open, clear, and free lakefront for all, as envisioned by the iconic Daniel Burnham.
