Funding, Feedback Wanted For New Boathouse At Skokie Lagoons

WINNETKA, IL — The Cook County Forest Preserves are soliciting feedback from residents about plans for a new boathouse at the Skokie Lagoons to replace an existing temporary facility at the Tower Road boat launch.

The planned boathouse would offer improvements for canoe and kayak rental, outdoor seating areas, restrooms and more benefits over the repurposed shipping container currently on the site, which offers no electricity or water. The Cook County Forest Preserves District has identified the site as a priority for improvement since 2015.

Concept designs provided by the forest preserve show a new floating dock and ramp for launching boats, room for food and beverage concessions, room for additional boat rentals, a public patio and a multi-purpose room that could be rented to the public.

Winnetka has provided $50,000 in funding for the planning process, but Village President Charles Rintz told Winnetka Talk no money for construction is available in the budget for the village or the forest preserve district to replace the "ramshackle" facility. He said Winnetka residents hope to partner with the district's nonprofit foundation raise the estimated cost of more than $1 million.

After much of the area had been drained by settlers for agriculture, the current lagoon system was created in the 1930s to mitigate flooding and increase recreational in the nation's largest Civilian Conservation Corps project. According to the Friends of the Chicago River, more than 2,000 people worked on the project, which had the support of Winnetka resident and Interior Secretary Harold Ickes.

Also known as the William N. Erikson Preserves, the lagoons cover nearly 900 acres and include 7.5 miles of trails between Winnetka, Northfield and Glencoe, according to the forest preserves. A redevelopment master plan was unveiled in 2016 including additional trail improvements, public art installation and additional facilities. Once among the region's richest marsh ecosystems, the Skokie Lagoons today provide a habitat for migrating fowl and a large variety of fish, as well as coyote, mink and foxes.

View Skokie Lagoons Boathouse concept design
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