Chicago's lakefront reopens for first time amid pandemic
CHICAGO - Access to Chicago’s lakefront is now open for the first time in nearly a year.
Police officers and barricades have been blocking the lakefront exits for months. But not anymore.
Block Club Chicago reports several aldermen of lakefront wards, along with a parks group, have all complained the lakefront has remained closed through the winter.
"I think throughout the whole pandemic it was one of those things, running through Lincoln Park or the sidewalks, Belmont Avenue it was all very tight," said Lakeview resident Chris Lalla. "With the snow, it's even more crowded so it's nice to be able to come back out [to the lakefront]."
While the trail reopened in June, none of the lakefront parkland has been, and the barriers remained closed off to cars. That all changed Friday, in a sign of an inch-back to normalcy.
"I'm really happy it's going to be opened up a little bit more. I just hope that people still exercise caution and still try and do things safely while enjoying it," a Chicago resident said.
"Technically it was opened for snow removal and so the park district did not officially announce that it was opened, but it really is open," 45th Ward Alderman James Cappleman said.
Even though the re-opening happened quietly this past week, a park district official told Block Club Chicago an official announcement from the park district is expected soon.