ON THE BEACH TWO

ON THE BEACH TWO When Tom Hank’s character, Josh, in the movie,” Big,” is sitting in a meeting at the toy company he is working at, he keeps saying, I don’t get it,” when he is presented with an idea for a new type of toy. Well, I just don’t “get it” when it comes to the public vs. private use of the beaches on Lake Michigan. The latest imbroglio is the use of tents by Oak Street Beachstro for private events. According to the Chicago Tribune, “Contract negotiations between Beachstro owners Anthony and Kimberly Priola and the Chicago Park District have stalled over complaints from some nearby residents that the restaurant's private parties — which have included long white tents — are monopolizing too much of the public beach for too much of the summer.The restaurant, which has anchored the beach corner since 1999, holds dozens of special events, such as weddings, charity fundraisers and corporate parties, each summer season. Tents up to 22 feet tall and 118 feet long have been hoisted three times a year on average, for up to 14 days at a time, to protect guests from rain, sun and wind. The guest lists range from 50 to 500 people.”

The Priolas say that the tents are built on the beach’s water breaker and leave the sand part of the beach alone. "We take over no part of the public beach," said Anthony Priola. "Literally, I brought in photos and did a study (before opening the restaurant), and in every picture that you see is a giant slab of concrete that is completely vacant." The Tribune also quoted Alderman Brendan Reilly (D-42) whose ward includes the Oak Street Beach area, and said the criticism is not about the view, but the "privatizing (of) a public amenity that's most offensive. The primary concern for downtown residents is that this is a public beach and that a good portion of the beach is essentially privatized to host these large special events," Reilly said. "We're done with the large special events on Oak Street Beach." The contract that Oak Street Beachstro has with the Chicago Park District provides for a revenue sharing agreement. The Priolas say in their 11 years of operation they” have provided $700,000 to the district in rent and revenue-sharing, as well as more than $1 million to the city in sales tax. They said that each season they hire about 200 employees.” Gail Spreen, a leader in an area group the Streeterville Organization of Active Residents (SOAR) told the Tribune that there is support in the community for the restaurant, but that the group "appreciates the alderman's position" regarding tent usage for private events. "It is a private use on a public beach," she said. "It's a public beach that should be available for everyone. It's not just for residents. It's for so many people." Now to the part where I say, “I just don’t get it.” If the Alderman says he does not want large special events at Oak Street Beach because the lakefront is for public use and SOAR says it’s a public beach available to anyone, how do they justify all the sports leagues that monopolize the beaches with volleyball, tennis and other events? There are many companies that run recreational sports events on the beaches. For example, the Chicago Sport and Social Club brags on their web site that they have more than 70,000 participants and that their Beach Volleyball Leagues are the world's largest with more than 20,000 players and more than 1200 teams playing. They almost monopolize the beaches at Montrose, North Avenue, and Oak Street. If one drives down Lake Shore Drive in the Spring and Summer months one can see the beaches are jammed with people taking up PRIVATE beach space playing games provided by PUBLIC companies. The balls from the various games are bouncing all over the sand and probably interfering with the quiet relaxation needs of PRIVATE citizens. Why are sporting companies allowed to use PUBLIC beach space and not Oak Street Beachstro? I just don’t get it! “On The Beach” is a post-apocalyptic end-of-the-world novel by Nevil Shute that was published in 1957. “On The Beach Two” is a blog published by me about the prophetic devastation of doom if the Oak Street Bistro is allowed to hold parties in tents at Oak Street. The first one did not really happen and neither should the second. Just let them put up the tents!