Greenwood Street Beach — Attraction in Evanston

This is not a public beach, its an enclosure of public space and somehow this city got away with putting up a fence and rocks to close public access to the lake. Shame on the aldermen and parks department for how this beach is managed. They should just stop paying for lifeguards because they are useless in this case. Why are people only allowed into a tiny area of the water, that can't be more than 75' by 100' feet, not even 1/8 of the total 'beach' area?? There is no point to lifeguards of the water never gets more than 3 feet high in the area they allow. No adult can tred water nor actually swim in that. They force you into a crowed area so you always have some 10 year old kid's feet in your face. God forbid you, step outside of their arbitrary boundary, for deeper water or just more space! Be prepared for some 16 year old to blow a whistle and tell you to return. They pay at least 6 'llfeguards' but you only ever see 2 working while the others lounge around a tent doing nothing. They could at least send two to a different side of the beach to open up the space and crowding... or better yet save the tax money and get rid of them in general and let people actually enjoy their summer and swimming in the water at their own risk. Don't pay to come here its not worth it unless you have 6 kids you don't feel like watching yourself. Other cities aren't this overpolicing or elitist and charge and don't charge you to sit on sand and just let you...

12 dollars to enter the beach as a non resident, which they should mention if you like swimming is largely for kids. Just felt like I was in a over policed beach. You can only swim in a 50 foot area. If you just try to go enjoy other parts of the water, you’ll have some 15 year old life guard whistle at you to not stand over there or come to the tiny area to swim. Just doing too much all around. Nature should not be controlled to this level. You can tell a bunch of old people got together at city hall and made these...

This is a nice small beach tucked away in Evanston. During daytime hours adults pay $10 and children $8. It's free after hours but there is no lifeguard on duty. I would be cautious with kids because there is broken glass and sharp rocks on the beach and usual debris in the water. There is a public restroom with a water shower on the outside to wash off feet. Parking is available and this beach is next to a park equipped for barbecues and...