Your Lakefront

A plan to revitalize Highland Park’s unique resources for today and for the future

For over 100 years, Highland Park’s lakefront among the bluffs and ravines of the beautiful North Shore has provided our residents with a place to cool off with a swim during the summer, a place to launch a boat for an afternoon of sailing, or a place just to sit, relax, and shuffle our toes in the sand. But the facilities along our lakefront have become old and tired, causing the number of residents who use our beaches and enjoy our waterfront to decline. Two years ago, the Park District of Highland Park began a wide-ranging planning process involving the community. Waterfront planners, JJR, LLC, were enlisted to develop a plan to revitalize our lakefront environment, beaches, and facilities for future generations and bring a vibrant, green-inspired design to these underutilized gems in our community.

View 'Your Lakefront' Video

Project Goals

1. Civic Pride
   Provide a unique, innovative and attractive resource for all residents of Highland Park.
2. Investment
   Enhance and improve a unique resource that Highland Park has the opportunity to protect for today and for the future.
3. Recreation
   Provide additional opportunities for recreation for all ages.
4. Education
   Ability to teach about Lake Michigan and beachfront habitat.
5. Environment
   Re-establish native plant species and shoreline protection.
6. Green Focus
   Build facilities that are environmentally friendly.
7. Access
   More reasons to utilize the beachfront.
8. Amenities
   All new amenities for increased recreational opportunities.
9. Restoration
   Re-establishing the Jens Jensen landscape.
10. Economic
    Appropriate development to attract consumers to our area.

Environmental Aspects

1. Energy and Environment
   Naturally-inspired, green-sensitive designs are planned for the facilities.
2. Improved Water Quality
   Daylighted streams will allow stormwater to be treated in a more sustainable manner, improving water quality.
3. Shoreline Protection
   Breakwaters will be designed to protect the shoreline and beaches while providing natural habitats.
4. Aquatic Habitat
   There will be opportunities to house aquatic habitat on the breakwaters and along the beachfront environment.
5. Sustainable Landscape
   Bluff restorations, permeable paving, and the rebuilding of the existing paths and trails, along with the restoration of the Jens Jensen landscape, will contribute to a more sustainable environment.

View the Plans & Improvements
To see the plans and a detailed listing of the improvements, click here.

November 4
Referendum

© Copyright 2005 Park District of Highland Park