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SURFING LEGALIZED IN CHICAGO
After months of negotiations, parts of Lake Michigan opened up to surf watercraft
By: James Pribram
Photos: Mike Killion/www.greatlakessurfer.com
SURF NEWS SURFING LEGALIZED IN CHICAGO: After months of negotiations, parts of Lake Michigan opened up
August 7, 2009
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My first time surfing in Chicago was in September of last year. It was then I first heard the story of Jack Flynn, the local Chi-town surfer who'd been locked up overnight for surfing on Lake Michigan -- and jailed with a couple of guys who had just robbed a bank.
 
As if that wasn't bad enough, poor Jack had been jailed in his wetsuit in the dead of winter and, although he made it out of lockup, his surfboard had taken a beating. It was this story that inspired me to get involved with the likes of Jack, Vince Deur, David Vanderveen, Todd Haugh, Mike Killion and Michael Urban -- along with a host of other Chicago surfers -- to fight for legalization of surfing here.
Our first meeting with the Chicago city parks district took place in December of last year, in a meeting that was a bit touch and go for the first 20 minutes or so. You could say they were a little taken aback by the news media that had followed us to this meeting.

Soon, however, we were on the way with a good open line of communication with the parks district.

"It seemed like a very long nine months to convince the city that they could safely include surfing on its beaches," said longtime freshwater surfer Vince Deur. "But considering the official ban was in effect for over 30 years, I guess in the big picture we moved pretty quickly."

And once we had established mutual respect between the two sides, we worked hand in hand to identify which spots were best for surfing on the lake, and after six months of back-and-forth, Chicago surfers came up with their list.

Two spots are now open for surfing in the summer -- Montrose + 57th St -- and they added two more -- Rainbow + Osterman -- for winter months.

"The reality is that not everyone in Chicago is going to take up surfing," says Chicago surfer Todd Haugh. "But at least they have the opportunity now."
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