Way to go Evanston from keeping the friendly windsurfers from Chicago land away from your beaches.
Yesterday in my desire to try something different from Wolf Lake, I decided to give Evanston a try because they seem to have the best spot for south wind in the Chicago area. For my dismay and indignation, I find out about the fee. It was very upsetting for someone who grew up in a place, Puerto Rico, where common people had fought for decades to stop elitist practices like this one.

Ha, I thought it’s a 30$. Did they drop it? Well there is also a parking next to the beach with a grass rigging space included in the fee. I think it’s fair to have a fee for the swim season and you can buy a season pass if you like. After Labour Day it’s free btw.

Hey everybody pays, Evanston residents included. If you count the number of good sailable days during the pay season, the 25 is not too far off from the season pass rate (180 Evanston, 230 non-Evanston, hasn't changed in a decade). It is not elitist because anybody can go, unlike Wilmette which only allows residents YEAR AROUND. Come back after Labor day, there is more sailing. On S and SW, launch at Lee Beach as it is closer to the wind line.

Whether the experience is worth the fee depends on the user. Requiring a fee is elitist because the requirement denies the experience to all who can't afford the fee. "Open to all who can pay" is just not "open to all." I'll assume the only intention of having the fee is financial and the administration of the fee is entirely fair. That doesn't change it from being elitist.

Give me a guaranteed no-time limit parking with rigging area and half a beach designated to watercraft launching only at any of the popular beaches around Lake Michigan and I’ll pay the fee and leave a tip on top. Label it whatever BS you like, I couldn’t care less. FYI my income is below average.

My point was that compared to what everybody else has to pay, the 25 is reasonably fair. I might get 10-15 "good" days during the permit season.

I do agree with David Mark that Evanston's fee for all is a huge amount less elitist than Willamette's "residents only" policy.

I'm an Iowa resident, a state with no entrance or launch fees for any state parks. Today I'm sailing on Clear Lake, launching with no fee from City Park right on the edge of downtown Clear Lake, just across the street from some nice restrooms that are air conditioned in the summer and heated in the cold. Clear Lake is a couple miles wide on the eastern end and 7 miles long from east to west.

Del Carpenter wrote:

Compare the population size of Chicago metro and the real estate values along the Lake Michigan shore to that of Clear Lake IA and you’ll start to get the point of fees.

Would it have been worth it that day? Thursday was strange. After the rains cleared, it cranked 25 -30 SE for half an hour. I missed that. Then it turned south and died for half an hour. Then it came back very gusty S 25-30 with huge steep chop and waves on the way out, exhausting to sail, but very fun on the way in. Then it clocked more SW. more holes, a few guys couldnt make it back to Greenwood and landed north. Not what I would consider a good day. I would have considered money wasted.