Evanston Dog Beach Closing Dec. 1, Reopening Uncertain: Reports

EVANSTON, IL — After a committee rejected an $863,500 contract for an ADA-compliant ramp, city officials announced Monday that the Evanston Dog Beach will close for the foreseeable future starting Dec. 1.

The city said it will issue a new request for proposal for a ramp to bring the dog beach, 1631 Sheridan Road, into ADA compliance, according to Evanston Now.

The city council's Administration and Public Works Committee requested the most recently proposed ramp as too expensive and too convoluted, the outlet reported.

Monday was the fourth time in two years that the city council has delayed construction of an entrance ramp to the beach, Evanston Roundtable reported. The city's ADA Advisory Committee had recommended closing the dog beach until a ramp is built.

This closure is the latest in a series of woes for the dog beach.

The off-leash beach between Church Street harbor and Clark Street Beach was originally open for more than 15 years, generating tens of thousands of dollars in annual revenue.

The dog beach closed in 2016 when it was submerged under rising lake levels. The next year, it was relocated south of the Church Street boat ramp but closed indefinitely in 2018. It reopened briefly in 2022 and then again for the 2023 season.

According to Evanson Roundtable, ADA Committee chairperson Murphy Monroe said the dog beach "as it stands, is illegal," adding, "At some point, we have to stand up for disabled residents and say, 'You matter, and you come first.'"