By Bob Seidenberg
rseiden914@gmail.com
Beach tokens will be referred to as beach ‘passes’ under a change to the city’s “Beaches and Boat Ramps” code backed by the Parks & Recreation Board at their Feb. 16 meeting.
Parks & Recreation Department staff requested the language to be updated, said Tim Carter, the city’s Recreation Manager, in a memo to the Board.
“With the recent move to free beach passes for all of Evanston residents and given the beach token system’s history of explicitly barring Black residents from beaches, staff feel this language should be removed from the City Code,” Carter said.“Beach passes will still be required for all persons wanting access to the beach. The word ‘token’ has already been removed from the physical pass and City website.”
Another change called for the city to change language for the opening of the beach season to the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend — omitting ‘following the close of the District 65 school year,’ with the city no longer following District 65’s schedule for the opening of beaches, Carter noted.
The Board unanimously approved the recommendations, sending the issue next to the City Council’s Human Service Committee.