All Evanston-Skokie School District 65 and Evanston Township High School students and their families will be able to visit Evanston’s beaches for free next year.
After what Mayor Daniel Biss called a “robust discussion,” the City Council voted unanimously on Aug. 26 to give free passes to families of students in either district.
The council then voted 6-3 to continue allowing Northwestern University students to use the beaches with a school ID, rather than requiring them to provide proof of residency in Evanston – an option recommended by the city’s Parks and Recreation Board.
Officials said allowing the families of all District 65 and Evanston Township High School District 202 students to attend the beaches at no cost allows students who live outside of Evanston, including many who live in Skokie, to spend time with their classmates during summer.
“The community goal of having cohesion among District 65 and (ETHS) District 202 students is worthwhile,” Councilmember Thomas Suffredin, 6th Ward, said. “One great thing about Evanston is you start with elementary school, expand into middle school and then expand more in high school. Creating incongruity there does not make sense.”
The Parks and Recreation Department initially proposed expanding access to District 65 and District 202 students, but Councilmember Bobby Burns proposed adding families, an amendment supported by his colleagues.
“Something strikes me as off about that,” Burns said of the original proposal. “I would like to see us include the entire family. Students are not going to the beach by themselves. Maybe they go with their family.”
Councilmember Devon Reid, 8th Ward, proposed allowing free access to everyone at all Evanston beaches. The practice of excluding certain people was implemented years ago “under racist and classist ideas.”
“Now is the time to realize, let’s just end all of this,” Reid said. “Let’s stop printing plastic cards to enter beaches, stop having teens identifying people like getting into a club. Let’s make our beaches free for everyone. Let’s use them as the economic engine they ought to be to attract people from the region to Evanston to frequent our businesses.”
The council rejected Reid’s suggestion.
Suffredin said all full-time Northwestern students already have free access to Lincoln Street beach. Adding access to Evanston Beach would admit Northwestern students who do not live in the city, he said.
“There is a larger issue when you’re a District 65 and District 202 student for 12 years,” Suffredin said. “There is a stronger policy argument in extending free beach access to them than there might be to Northwestern students.”
Councilmembers Eleanor Revelle, 7th Ward, and Clare Kelly, 1st Ward, said they agreed with Suffredin.
Revelle said Northwestern students can go to Lincoln Street beach, if they desire. Kelly said the college students already enjoy “privileged access” there.
Councilmember Juan Geracaris, 9th Ward, supported adding District 65 and District 202 families, but advocated maintaining the status quo with Northwestern students, even though some of those students live outside of Evanston.
“I feel very strongly that kids who go to high school here and District 65 schools are community members,” Geracaris said. “They should get a free beach pass with enrollment at the schools.”
Councilmember Jonathan Nieuwsma, 4th Ward, said he agreed that the policy should remain the same regarding Northwestern students.
Audrey Thompson, director of parks and recreation, said about 745 District 65 students live outside of Evanston’s city boundaries in zip code 60203. The maximum cost of giving them free beach access would be about $32,000 annually, Thompson said.
Thompson said she was not certain how many Evanston Township High School students live outside of Evanston.
Fire Chief Paul Polep said the cost of providing uniforms, equipment, training and staffing for the city’s beaches is about $620,000 a year.
“I just want to make sure of the costs associated with running the beaches,” Suffredin said. “It’s not free just because they are not manmade.”