Publications & Sites 
Evanston’s public beaches to open Saturday, May 26
Updated: May 24, 2012 8:21AM
Evanston’s five public swimming beaches are open seven days a week during the beach season, which will get under way Saturday, May 26.
The last day of the season will be Monday, Sept. 3, which is Labor Day. A daily pass or season token must be presented for beach admission.
Season beach tokens are on sale now at the Lorraine H. Morton Civic Center, 2100 Ridge Ave., and all Evanston community centers. The “preseason” fees for tokens, which are in effect through June 8, are $24 for an Evanston or Skokie resident and $40 for a nonresident.
The regular fee for a season beach token is $32 for an Evanston or Skokie resident and $56 for a nonresident. The city of Evanston and the Skokie Park District have a reciprocal arrangement that allows Skokie residents to buy Evanston season beach tokens at resident rates and allows Evanston residents to buy Skokie season pool passes at their resident rates.
Daily passes may be purchased at beach entrances; a daily pass is $6 for children age 1-11 and $8 for people 12 years and older. Admission for children under age 1 is free.
Based on family size and income, Evanston residents may qualify for beach token fee assistance and a free beach token program. The outreach beach pass program for Evanston teens is in place again this year with passes becoming available on May 21. For community center locations and office hours or more information, visit cityofevanston.org or call 311.
Beach hours from May 26 through June 8 are 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Beach hours from June 9 through Labor Day are 10:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. All beach hours are subject to weather and beach conditions.
Evanston has three beaches that are accessible to people with disabilities: Greenwood Street, Lee Street and Lighthouse. Smoking is prohibited on Evanston’s public beaches.
Beach locations from north to south:
• Lighthouse Beach -- Central Street at Sheridan Road (2611 Sheridan Road);
• Clark Street Beach -- Clark Street at Sheridan Road (1811 Sheridan Road);
• Dog Beach -- Church Street at the lakefront (1631 Sheridan Road);
• Greenwood Street Beach -- Greenwood Street at the lakefront (1401 Sheridan Road);
• Lee Street Beach -- Lee Street and Lake Shore Boulevard (1111 Lake Shore Blvd.); and
• South Boulevard Beach -- South Boulevard at the lakefront (525 Sheridan Square).
Free beach days for Evanston residents will be held Mondays, July 9 through Aug. 27, at the Clark Street Beach.
During certain conditions, swimming is prohibited at one or more of Evanston’s beaches, but admittance to the beach (sandy area) is still allowed. At other times, both the water and the beach areas are closed for one’s safety.
During the season, users of the beaches have several options for learning whether the beaches are open: By checking online at www.cityofevanston.org/beachstatus; calling (847) 859-7822 to listen to a recorded message; or following the city on Twitter at www.twitter.com/COEBeach.
Additionally, the city has just launched a new service in which beach patrons can receive either a text message or email with information on beach closures.
Visit www.cityofevanston.org/beachstatus to sign up.
