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Quote/Term of the Week
“Our seniors, low-income families with small children, and persons with disabilities simply can't afford this. They are also not able to walk those long distances into those parks.”
— Anne Holcomb, an organizer with Environment Transportation, Health and Open Space of South Shore (ETHOS), raised concerns about the Park District’s installation of parking gates at Rainbow Beach.
[Chicago Park District Board of Commissioners, June 10, 2026]
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Not so fast, Chicago Park District…
Chicago Park District board members used the majority of their latest meeting to discuss some recent wins, such as more summer programs and an opening date for Chicago’s pools. But some community members focused their time on recurring concerns, including the new automated parking gates installed at 10 beaches spanning from Edgewater to South Shore.
Parking fees range from $4 to $24 depending on how long you stay. Drivers get a 15-minute grace period before the system starts charging you. Drivers receive a text prompting them to pay their parking fee within minutes of exiting the parking lot, Axios reported.
The parking fees aren’t new; the enforcement is. Those fees provide key revenue for the parks and programs, officials have said. Anne Holcomb, an organizer with Environment Transportation, Health and Open Space of South Shore (ETHOS), said the parking gates inhibit free access to Rainbow Beach.
“According to the 1909 Burnham plan, the lakefront is to be forever open, [clear] and free. The spirit of this quote is not just about privatization of parkland, but also enabling full access to nature,” Holcomb said.
Community members also shared their worries about encampments for unhoused neighbors as well as police interactions with youth at parks.
Chicago Park District Board of Commissioners by Jinny Kim, Layla Brown-Clark & Susie X
What you can do:
Attend a Chicago Park District Board of Commissioners meeting: Learn how to attend a meeting and give public comments here.
Complete a budget submission form: Get familiar with the board and the decisions they make including the budget. The Chicago Park District starts its budget process in August. But the board accepts suggestions year-round on their budget submission form. Tell them what you want to see them invest in here.
A version of this story was first published in the June 17, 2026 issue of the Newswire, an email newsletter that is your weekly guide to Chicago government, civic action and what we can do to make our city great. You can sign up for the weekly newsletter here.
Have thoughts on what you'd like to see in this feature? Email Civic Editor Dawn Rhodes at dawn@citybureau.org.