Chicago’s public lakefront has quietly reopened.
Lakefront parks and beaches were closed for nearly a year because of the pandemic.
The lakefront trails for walkers, runners and bicyclists were reopened over the summer, with the understanding that users would not loiter but keep moving.
Mayor Lightfoot says the city has plans to gradually reopen playgrounds and swimming pools, too.
She noted coronavirus metrics are the lowest they’ve been in several months and says she trusts people to act responsibly. The mayor initially closed the lakefront after residents swarmed it during a warm-weather surge last spring.
“My expectation and hope is that people will continue to do the hard work that is necessary to protect themselves, their family members and their neighbors,” Lightfoot said Tuesday.