The Park District of Highland Park is responsible to protect and provide our public decent beachfront for the residents. Growing up in Highland Park, I remember the great summers down a Park Avenue swimming beach, having a great time with my family and friends.

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The Rosewood Beach proposal creates many great amenities for our community including a protected and an expanded shoreline, a recreational beach, a swimming beach and naturalization of beachfront with native grasses. Structures include washrooms, guard station, and a refreshment stand. 

The big rub to many neighbors and residents is the interpretive center being placed on the beach. To a few the interpretive center is a no go period because of the cost. My personal belief is Rosewood is not the best place for the interpretive center but am a strong supporter of one in Highland Park. My belief is that it could work better at several alternative sites like the Yacht club at Park Avenue, Ravine Drive, Open Lands at Lake Shore Preserve, or at some Park on top of the bluff.

We have been talking about a place to celebrate our Lake Michigan for many years and I am a strong supporter of such a facility. Lake Michigan is the greatest blessing we share next to our residents. 70 percent of us is Lake Michigan water and we should teach our children and ourselves to understand and celebrate its existence by means of the proposed Interpretive Center. We should be exploring for a place it can work instead of fighting over it where it is currently proposed.

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