Summer is officially here, and what’s better than spending a perfect day at Rosewood Beach? Consider these helpful tips to plan your trip:

Sun Protection
Did you know it takes about 30-minutes for sunscreen to soak into your skin? Always apply sunscreen before heading off for a beach day in the sun. Reapply sunscreen every two hours, especially if you’re spending most of your time swimming. Get in the habit of adding a fresh coat every time you towel-dry.

Hydration is Key
Anytime you are in the sun for long periods, it’s important to keep your body hydrated. Encourage everyone to have a glass or two of water before heading to the beach. Be sure to bring along a cooler full of water to stay hydrated throughout the day.

Light Snacks
Bring snacks to the beach to stay energized. Fresh watermelon, strawberries, and blueberries are excellent snacks, and their high-water content helps keep your body hydrated.

Bring the Essentials
Bring a large umbrella, sunglasses, hat or even a beach tent to provide a shady escape from the hot sun. Don’t forget lots of beach towels. Not only do they help keep you dry, but they keep you warm if you get chilled from the cold lake water.

Fun Activities for All
Whether it’s shovels and pails for the kids to build sandcastles, a football for a game of catch, or a good book to dive into, don’t forget to pack fun activities for everyone in your party. These extra activities will keep the beach fun going for hours.

Don’t forget to purchase your 2021 Rosewood Beach Swimming Pass and lakefront parking decal. For more information, click here.

About Rosewood Beach
Rosewood Beach is our designated swimming beach, with lifeguards on duty every day from 10am-6pm. Swimming hours are subject to change depending on weather, crowds, and wave conditions. Certified lifeguards supervise the beach during public swimming hours, regardless of weather conditions. Click here for more information on Rosewood Beach.

Ditch your electronic devices and plug into fun and activities for all ages at “Unplug Illinois Day” on July 10 from 10am to noon at Sunset Woods Park.   The event is free!

The event’s activities include:

• Water Play – Children ages 3-6 can splish and splash with water play including slip n slides, sprinklers, and inflatable water slides.  Make sure the kiddos are dressed in water-play friendly clothing.  
• Skate Board Demonstrations – Don’t miss the phenomenal skateboarding demonstrations from “JoJo” (13) and “JuJu” (12) Jones. These brothers have been skateboarding since they were toddlers and compete in skateboarding competitions across the country. Demonstrations will be at 10:15am and 11:30am. You don’t want to miss this!
• Obstacle Course – Pre-school and elementary school ages will have fun trying out our obstacle course on the basketball court. Available throughout the event.  
• Fitness Sessions – Unplug and experience the benefits of fresh air, sunshine, and full-body strength exercises that include your core and cardio.  Each 15-minute session is led by our superstar Recreation Center Group Fitness Coordinator, Lauren.  No equipment is needed.  Dress to glisten and bring your water bottle and yes you can mindset!
  • Class Schedule:
    • 10:15-10:30am
    • 10:40-10:55am
    • 11:05-11:20am
    • 11:30-11:45am
• PickleBall – For those who want to learn one of the country’s fastest-growing sport and beginning players. Our pro will guide you through the rules and techniques of the game.  Paddles and balls will be available. 

Our Planning Department staff will be on hand to gather community input on potential future features for the park as part of the Sunset Woods Park master planning project.   

Unplug Illinois is a collaborative initiative between the University of Illinois and Illinois Parks and Recreation Association to raise awareness and educate communities across the state about the value of parks and recreation.

This summer, six-foot sharks can be spotted at several of Highland Park’s public beaches.  You may think this is a frightening unnatural phenomenon, but, take heart, the sharks are signs posted at our non-swimming beaches including Park Avenue Beach, the Nature Cove at Rosewood Beach, and Millard Beach.
 
Why sharks? While we all know there are no sharks in Lake Michigan, the signs serve as an eye-catching reminder that swimming off a Lake Michigan beach without a lifeguard on duty can be as dangerous as swimming in shark-infested waters.  The shark signs are part of the Park District’s new Beach Safety campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of swimming in the lake and provide tips to stay safe while at our lake’s beaches. 

Did You Know?

• Lake Michigan ranks as one of the deadliest of the Great Lakes due to its strong shoreline currents and waves.
• More than ½ of the Great Lakes’ drownings happen on Lake Michigan.
• Of all Lake Michigan drownings, ½ occur at the southern tip of the lake (Milwaukee to Chicago to Northwest Indiana to South-west Michigan).

Be Smart! Only Swim at a Beach with a Lifeguard on Duty!

One of the best ways to stay safe at the beach is only to swim when a lifeguard is on duty.   Lifeguards are the gold standard for beach safety.   They are right there, trained, and ready to respond when minutes count.  The shark signs direct beach-goers wanting to swim to the Park District’s Rosewood swimming beach which has lifeguards on duty from 10am – 6pm daily throughout the summer.  

For more beach safety tips, click here. 

To remind residents of the importance of staying safe at our beaches and while boating this summer, the Park Board has proclaimed May 24-31 as Highland Park Beach Safety Week and May 22-28 as Safe Boating Week in Highland Park.

The proclamations coincide and support the United States Lifesaving Association (USLA) National Beach Safety Week and the U.S. Coast Guard’s National Safe Boating Week. The Park Board urges all residents using our beaches to enjoy themselves at the beach this year while taking appropriate measures to protect themselves and their children.

Additionally, as boating continues to be a popular recreational activity, the Park Board is bringing attention to critical life-saving tips for recreational boaters so that they can have a safer, more fun experience out on the water throughout the year.

Park District of Highland Park
Beach Safety Week Proclamation

WHEREAS, the beautiful Lake Michigan public beaches of Highland Park, Illinois represent a valued recreational resource; and,

WHEREAS, Highland Park residents and visitors alike are drawn to these beaches each year for water and beach activities; and,

WHEREAS, the aquatic environment has dangers, particularly rip currents, that can be effectively managed through public awareness and the vigilance of professional lifeguards; and,

WHEREAS, for reasons of public safety, an annual reminder of the joys and hazards associated with the aquatic environment are appropriate at the commencement of the busy summer beach season; and,

WHEREAS, Highland Park residents and visitors alike must remember: Learn to Swim, Swim Near a Lifeguard, Swim with a Buddy, Check with the Lifeguards, Use Sunscreen and Drink Water, Obey Posted Signs, Keep the Beach and Water Clean, Learn Rip Current Safety, Enter Water Feet First, and Wear a Life Jacket.

NOW, THEREFORE, the Park Board of Commissioners by virtue of the authority vested in us for the Park District of Highland Park do hereby proclaim May 24-31, 2021 as:

Beach Safety Week in Highland Park, and urge all residents using our beaches to enjoy themselves at the beach this year, while taking appropriate measures to protect themselves and their children.

Park District of Highland Park
Safe Boating Week Proclamation

National Safe Boating Week is observed to bring attention to important life-saving tips for recreational boaters so that they can have a safer, more fun experience out on the water throughout the year.

• WHEREAS, on average, 600 people die each year in boating-related accidents in the U.S.; 79 percent of these are fatalities caused by drowning; and
• WHEREAS, the vast majority of these accidents are caused by human error or poor judgment and not by the boat, equipment or environmental factors; and
• WHEREAS, a significant number of boaters who lose their lives by drowning each year would be alive today had they worn their life jackets.

Therefore, the Board of Commissioners for the Park District of Highland Park, do hereby support the goals of the Safe Boating Campaign and proclaim May 22-28, 2021 as:

Safe Boating Week in Highland Park, and the start of the year-round effort to promote safe boating.   We urge all those who boat to practice safe boating habits and always wear a life jacket while boating.

The Park District teamed up with the Friends of the Chicago River and 30 community volunteers for our annual River Day event.   The group picked up litter along the bike and river trails at The Preserve and spread native plant seeds to benefit pollinators. The seeds were donated through the Park District’s participation in Project Wingspan, which aims at building pollinator habitat throughout the region.

For more information on Project Wingspan, >>>  https://www.pollinator.org/wingspan

The  Level 3 Gymnastics Team placed 2^nd at the AAU Central District Meet in Bourbonnais, IL on Sunday, May 2.  Individually, our gymnasts were represented on the podium in each of their age groups.  In the Junior A Division, Hannah Maletksy came in second on vault, bars, beam, and was awarded state champion on floor and all-around.  In the Junior C Division, Kenna Reed placed 8^th on vault, 2^nd on bars, 4^th on beam, 7^th on floor, and 3^rd all-around.  Also, in the Junior C Division, Sydney Genser placed 3^rd on bars, 5^th on beam, 9^th on floor, and 6^th on vault and all-around.

In the Senior B Division, four gymnasts received medals.  Charlie Weisbart placed 11^th on vault and bars, 2^nd on beam, 4^th on floor, and 7^th in all-around.  Naomi Rago placed 8^th on vault, 5^th on bars, 9^th on beam, 7^th on floor, and 6^th all-around.  Lauren Smiley placed 5^th on vault, 6^th on beam, 2^nd on floor, and 3^rd on bars and all-around.  Rounding out this age group was Fiona Brownstein who placed 4^th on beam, 2^nd on bars, and all-around and was awarded the state champion on vault and floor.

Picture: Bottom row L to R: Kenna Reed and Hannah Maletsky.

Back row L to R: Naomi Rago, Lauren Smiley, Fiona Brownstein, Coach Bruce Keeshin, Sydney Genser, Charlie Weisbart.

The Park District’s Liz Ricketts and videographer Andy Cutraro took stock of white sucker fish in the outfall at Ravine Drive Beach earlier this week. The pair were filming for an upcoming PBS Detroit’s Great Lakes Now (https://www.greatlakesnow.org/)  for a segment about the Shedd Aquarium’s efforts to track the annual migration of these native fish from Lake Michigan.

The Park District’s natural areas staff and volunteers have partnered with the Shedd since 2017 to do daily spring counts of fish in our ravine streams. The data is collected, along with weather and water conditions, from sites in Illinois, Wisconsin, and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, to provide insights into what triggers the annual migration to streams along the Lake Michigan shoreline. For more information on the project, see https://www.sheddaquarium.org/stories/researching-a-great-lakes-migration-the-sucker-spawning-run

Portions of the bluff path at Millard Park, as well as the benches directly along the bluff, are temporarily blocked off due to erosion on the bluff and possible unstable conditions at the top of the bluff.  Please follow detour signs for available paths through the park.

Bluff Management:

Bluffs are naturally an ecosystem of disturbance. Once made unstable through failure at the toe or slippage on the slope, bluff disturbance tends to continue until the area reaches its “angle of repose” or relative stability. This may appear as a small surficial slump on the bluff or full toe to crest slip failures.

Current Efforts:

The District is working with an engineering and geotechnical firm to evaluate the trajectory of this natural process to determine recommended management for public safety and protection of resources. During the evaluation, because the stability of the bluff is unknown, the path is closed.

Questions? Please contact Dan Voss, Director of Parks, at dvoss@pdhp.org.

 Click here to review the District’s Beach Management Plan.

The Park District of Highland Park has joined the City of Highland Park’s commitment to protect monarch butterflies by taking the Illinois Monarch Project Pledge to plant and protect monarch habitat in our community.   This step aligns with the Park District’s mission to enhance community life with an appreciation of the natural world and our vision of inspiring environmental stewardship and education. 

Over the past 20 years, the iconic Monarch Butterfly has faced a significant decline in habitat, specifically milkweed plants they require for breeding and nourishment during migration. In response, a new statewide initiative, the Illinois Monarch Project, was formed to protect and enhance existing habitat and help establish new habitat that supports monarchs and other pollinators.

The goal of the 15-year project is to plant 150 million new milkweed stems in the state of Illinois by 2038. What does that look like? Each person in the state of Illinois plants 12 stems or four milkweed plants per acre in the entire state.

As part of its pledge, the Park District is creating educational and interactive programming to engage the community on how to create sustainable pollinator habitats.

• Join us on Saturday, May 1, from 9 – 11 am at the downtown train station parking lot located at 1700 St Johns Ave.,  for the City of Highland Park Arbor Day Celebration to receive a milkweed plant for your backyard.  Please note: for the safety of our residents, the celebration will be a drive-thru event. 
• The Park District’s Natural Areas Program along with volunteers will create Monarch Waystations for migrating butterflies in several of our parks.   Signage at the waystations will provide additional information on the significance of the waystations to the butterflies migration.   
• Staff, contractors and volunteers will continue to maintain existing habitat for monarchs and all our native pollinators including more than 50 acres of native plantings at The Preserve of Highland Park.

Get Involved

• Volunteer at Chicago River Day on Saturday, May 8 from 9 – 11 am at The Preserve of Highland Park to plant milkweed.
• Check this website for future pollinator planting events at The Preserve.
• Create a monarch waystation in your own backyard.
• Take the Illinois Monarch Project Pledge.

Planting Milkweed 

Plants native to our region such as Common and Swamp Milkweed are well adapted to our soil and climate. Select a planting location based on the guidelines below:

Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca):
• Full sun
• Average to moist soil
• Height= 3-6 feet
• Purple or white spherical umbel flowers bloom June-August

Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata):
• Part to full sun
• Average to moist soil
• Height= 3-4 feet
• Pink flowers bloom June- August

How to plant:
1. Select a suitable site based on the growing conditions described above.
2. Dig a hole that is wider than the root ball size but not any deeper.
3. Carefully remove the plug from the container. It is best to push the root ball out from the bottom of the container and not pull on the top growth of the plant.
4. If roots appear to be tightly bound together, gently loosen the roots with your fingers.
5. Place the plant in the hole.
6. Fill in the hole around the plant with the removed soil. Compost can be added to enrich the soil.
7. Water thoroughly after planting.
8. Water regularly until plant has become established.

With the warm Spring weather, progress is being made at The Preserve of Highland Park.  Grading and initial planting around the North Pond shoreline are complete. Work has begun on the Connector Trail that will link The Preserve property on both sides of the Skokie River. Overlooks for the North Pond and Gateway Path (on the west side of the river) have been manufactured (off-site) and will be delivered for installation soon.  Stay tuned for more updates as construction continues!

Located adjacent to the Recreation Center of Highland Park (1207 Park Ave W), this 100-acre property is being transformed into a one-of-a-kind natural area for passive recreation.  When completed, The Preserve will include green lawns, natural play areas, nature gardens, restored woodlands, and walking and biking trails that connect neighborhoods, downtown Highland Park, and regional biking trails.   

Funding for The Preserve project was provided in part by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency through Section 319 of the Clean Water Act and Illinois Department of Natural Resources OSLAD funds.