The consultants leading Evanston’s lakefront visioning process have released a report summarizing results of several meetings held so far, ahead of what’s scheduled to be a final meeting next week of the citizen focus groups.
The consultants leading Evanston’s lakefront visioning process have released a report summarizing results of several meetings held so far, ahead of what’s scheduled to be a final meeting next week of the citizen focus groups.
The overall goals identified fall into five categories:
- Natural Environment: Replace the rocks with natural dunes. Restore and maintain the shoreline while protecting it from erosion.
- Accessibility and circulation: Create a safe and orderly path system for pedestrians, bikes, and skaters the full length of the lakefront.
- Facilities: Architecturally and environmentally sensitive planning, construction, and maintenance of structures.  Increases only facilities for nonmotorized watercraft to avoid heavier impact on the environment.
- Program offerings: Encourage a passive, contemplative, quiet and natural environment balanced with lakefront-appropriate activities which will avoid over-programming and commercialization.
- Administration and policy: Promote accessibility through physical and financial means and by using public transportation, but grounded by clear fiscal constraints.
More details of comments made in the last meeting, Jan. 9, are contained in the document attached below.
The focus group meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 23, in the Parasol Room at the Civic Center, 2100 Ridge Ave.
The visioning meetings are intended to establish a framework for development of lakefront master plan later this year.