Beach Seen In 'The Blues Brothers' To Reopen Wednesday

WAUCONDA, IL — An iconic beach on Bangs Lake in Wauconda, which was once featured in the classic 1980 film "The Blues Brothers" is expected to reopen Wednesday following $3 million in renovations. Phil's Beach was founded in the 1920s by Phil Froehlke and the beach's great views and popular J-shaped slide drew families to it for several decades, according to the Daily Herald.

In the 1990s, the Froehlke family closed the beach amid concerns over rising insurance costs, according to the article. In 2016, the family made the decision to sell the beach, and the Wauconda Park District jumped at the chance to get the beach, which is located along North Main Street, back up and running.

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A soft opening is slated for Wednesday. The renovated beach area has a splash pad, boathouse, baggo boards, game tables and a swim area, according to the park district. The infamous J-slide, which got its 15 minutes of fame when it made its film debut in "The Blues Brothers," is no longer in the water or available to use but will be on site for photo ops.

The beach will be open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Monday through Sunday. Amid continued concerns over the new coronavirus, only 80 people will be allowed in the beach area at a time and entry will be available on a first-come, first serve basis.

Those stopping out will "not be able to reserve spots for additional family members or friends not with them at the time of entry," according to the park district.

Beach goers are encouraged to practice physical distancing and the park district will not have any inflatables or rafts available for use in the swim area, according to the park district website. Alcohol, glass containers, smoking and pets are not allowed in the beach area.

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A grand opening and ribbon cutting event will be planned at a later time. Daily entrance fees for residents is $5 per person and non-residents pay $7 per person. After 5 p.m., residents pay $2 and non-residents pay $3.