WILMETTE – Members of the Wilmette Park District Lakefront Committee and residents met again on November 2 to finalize a survey that will hopefully answer what Wilmette residents want for their lakefront parks and beachfront. After a $14.5 million referendum was shot down by a majority of voters in April, Park District officials have been taking steps to develop a new plan for the village’s aging lakefront facilities.
“We had a great first meeting,” Commissioner and Committee Chair Shelley Shelly said at the start of the meeting. Her comment referred to a previous meeting held on October 20 where the same group met to discuss pertinent topics for the survey.
At the second meeting the group discussed the nitty-gritty details of the 33 question draft survey, with each resident taking turns addressing issues of concern. The majority of the discussion was focused on whether estimated costs should be included in the survey.
While Jeff Andreasen of aQity Research urged the group to include questions on costs, the group ultimately concluded that concrete numbers should be excluded from the survey.
“If you don’t put a cost on anything it becomes a free good,” Andreasen said. He further noted that putting a price on the repairs and improvements would allow residents to make an informed decision.
But Joe DiCamillo representing Wilmette Lakefront Friends questioned the accuracy of the cost estimates since a plan is not in place. “To me it just seems dangerous,” he said. DiCamillo noted that the figures could be misleading, since they were just estimates and may set residents’ expectations.
Commissioner Shelly agreed noting that she felt “uncomfortable” with a draft question that included specific cost estimates without a plan in place. While Tom Scanlan representing Save Wilmette Beaches noted that the survey was more about what people want for the lakefront, than about the amount.
Resident Peter Blaugher who was instrumental in the organization Save Wilmette Beaches attended the meeting and offered his view that preserving open space is important to some residents. Commissioners Shelly and Bryan Abbott both noted that Blaugher made a valid point, and decided to include a question on the survey about open space.
At this point, the survey will be revised to include the changes discussed at the meeting but does not need further approvals by the Park District board. Andreasen will continue to work to meet the Park District’s goal of sending out the survey to the community by mid-November.