Return of the fence? That’s TBD, but a similar plan for Gillson’s south beach is likely, park district says

Just like many residents when frigid temperatures of winter begin to roll in, Wilmette Park Board commissioners are looking forward to the beach.

Commissioners used their Monday, Dec. 16 Committee of the Whole session to commence discussions regarding the district’s operational plans for Gillson Park’s south beach during the 2025 season.

The board reached an informal consensus during the meeting to support a recommendation from park district staff to use what officials describe as a “managed access control” approach at the popular Wilmette beach next season.

In a press release sent out the day following the meeting, park officials said the district’s use of a fence was how it opted to implement access control at the beach last season but added that it has not yet been determined if the “same structure” will be used in 2025.

“While the specific form of access control may evolve, the Park District remains committed to having a system in place that effectively manages but does not restrict access,” the park district’s press release says.

During an interview with The Record, JP McNamara, marketing and communications manager for the park district, said officials wanted to be transparent with residents early on to let people know that the district does want access control in that area.

Park officials prefer access control around south beach so that the area can be managed and lifeguarded and measurements are taken to mitigate risk and properly manage the space, McNamara told The Record.

Deciding on new operations

As first reported by The Record, the Wilmette Park District decided in April 2024 to transition south beach to a fee-based space with a designated swim area. As part of the park’s changes, the district also in mid-May installed a slatted dune fence that surrounded the beach and limited access points.

When announcing plans for south beach, park officials continually cited years of ongoing and growing safety concerns, for both guests of the beach and park staffers, as the primary reasoning for the shift.

Park district officials faced a wave of criticism from the public for months over that decision, as extensively reported by The Record.

Residents argued that the fence restricts access to the beach for mobility-impaired patrons, limits attendance from out-of-town visitors, impacts safe passageways for wildlife, and restricts lakefront views from several locations along the beach, among other points of contention.

Yet, over the course of the season, park district representatives continually stated publicly that the new procedures at south beach went according to plan.

Looking at the impact

District staffers in October walked commissioners through a presentation highlighting how “South Beach operational decisions made in 2024 have had a positive impact.” Those positive benefits, according to officials, were “enhanced safety for beachgoers, improved operational efficiency, and a better experience for visitors and staff.”

Just over 64,000 visitors came to the main beach at Gillson this season, with south beach seeing just over 35,000 visitors, per the park district.

Attendance at the main beach this season was comparable to the prior two years, McNamara told The Record. The park saw about 59,000 visitors at the main beach in 2022 and about 67,000 in 2023. Prior to this year, the district had not tracked visitors at just south beach.

According to data from the Wilmette Police Department, the total police response count at South Beach was down notably in 2024 — 17% decrease versus 2023 and 30% versus 2022. There were 364 responses this year, per the data, compared to 438 in 2023 and 519 in 2022.

Wilmette officers responded to zero incidents related to alcohol and drugs this season versus a dozen in 2023 and 19 in 2022, the data shows. There were 22 incidents of improper conduct this season that involved police versus 31 in 2023 and 24 in 2022.

A statement from park district staff says the group “sincerely and firmly stand behind the decision to implement access control at South Beach in 2024,” adding that (staff) “have determined that the changes made yielded positive results.”

Supporting a similar plan

The consensus reached by the board last Monday — which supports staff’s recommendation — all but confirms that access to South Beach will continue to be managed in the upcoming season.

The board, however, has not yet decided if the means to manage access will be a fence, and even if at some point commissioners decide that a fence will be used in 2025, it may not look the same or be structured the same as it was this year.

“Several operational elements remain under review and open for consideration,” the district said in its press release.

To further explore the options under consideration for next season, the park district is looking for community input to “help shape the details of beach operations.”

The park district will host two focus group sessions on Jan. 21 and 22 to gather community feedback on alternative types of seasonal access control, locations of manager access, south beach pricing and schedule and additional operational suggestions, according to the release.

The Jan. 21 session will be at Lakeview Center in Gillson Park (800 Gillson Park Drive) while the Jan. 22 one will be at the Community Recreation Center (3000 Glenview Road).

Interest from residents in participating has been “steady” but “not overwhelming” thus far, McNamara said. Residents hoping to participate in the groups can learn more here.

After the initial focus groups, the park district plans to converse with Public Communications Inc., the firm assisting with the sessions, to grasp the community’s feedback before reassessing with the beach and recreation staff and ways to implement the key takeaways.

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