A renovated and modern beach pedestrian boardwalk pathway is currently being installed at Lake Forest Beach, expected to be complete by Fall 2024. It lifts off at the top of the Forest Park Bluff and descends down to the bottom of the beach. 

The reimagined Forest Park Beach Pathway Project presents an opportunity to provide a boardwalk that is safe, functional, ADA-compliant, and a beautiful asset to Forest Park Beach. The ramp-like structure has rest benches and two scenic overlooks of Lake Michigan along the way. 

The City of Lake Forest has committed $1.3 million in funds and an additional $1.5 million from private donors in the community to make this boardwalk become a reality. 

The Forest Park Preservation Corporation has also been very supportive in the funding. They voted and approved a sizable donation of $25,000 to the project. 

Lake Forest resident Tom Donovan, president of The Forest Park Preservation Corporation, is pleased with the partnerships amongst this project. 

“The board was pleased to have the opportunity to continue its partnership with the city and their commitment to making one of the North Shores parks accessible to all visitors,” Donovan said. 

A lifelong Lake Forest resident and voluntary Forest beach boardwalk contributor, Kitty Lansing has the story behind the boardwalk and her involvement throughout this project’s process. 

“The project is well underway. While the planning has taken two years, we are almost finished with our fundraising due to the generosity of private donors and the city. Visible parts of the beach are under construction and the project is in full swing.”

All the aspects of the beach, from the bluff, the stairs, the boat docs, playground, snack shop, to the scenic views, hold sentimental value as she has seen the different ages and attractions that the beach has been through.

“The beach is a sacred place and an asset to our community- it has been for all the years I’ve lived in Lake Forest, including when I was a young girl. The beach is enjoyed by so many people so this pedestrian pathway will be a great addition in enhancing the Forest Park beach,” Lansing said. 

 In 1987, private donations funded the original boardwalk; it provided critical pedestrian access to the beach. It was enjoyed by many community members and frustration struck when removal was occurring. 

Lake Road resident Diane Quinn spent many days with friends and children “walking down the boardwalk, it felt like a fun and peaceful adventure through the woods. [It was] a huge staple in the community that is certainly missed by all,” Quinn said. 

Unfortunately, the original boardwalk was removed in 2018 due to unstableness, erosion, and deterioration. Sadly, since then, there has been a missing piece for pedestrians between the Forest Park Bluff and the beach. 

About three years ago, a Bluff Stabilization project began to limit the erosion and dangers of the bluff. Since that is underway, the timing is impeccable to rebuild the beloved pedestrian connection between the bluff and the beach. 

Lansing’s grandparents’ love for the beach sparked her family’s contribution to the original boardwalk. She recalls her grandmother, having grown up in Lake Forest, walking to the beach everyday since she was a child. She continued to walk there until the age of 91. 

“When she passed away, my parents, aunts, and uncles decided to dedicate the original boardwalk in her memory so others could enjoy the beach just as much as she did,” Lansing said. “When I was a young child, I have fond memories of walking around the beach with her. It’s so special to me that there is a plaque of her name representing how much love she had for this community.”

This joint effort between the community and the city will reconnect the park along Lake road after a seven year absence of the original structure for all to enjoy.