I tried to decipher the meaning of the new parking fee at the north parking lot at Belmont Harbor.
Click here for my outdoors column today in the Sun-Times.
My sense is there will be some mediation of the fee structure for the general public, but it might take a bit to hammer out.
I get wearied by this stuff. It just never ends.
Fishermen are no longer welcome or wanted on Chicago's lakefront. They are too poor and take up valuable space that could be sold at top price to yuppies, tourists and rich suburban yachters.
Let them eat cake instead of salmon.
Belmont Harbor Parking
For those who care like myself, now is the time to act. I’ve been fishing this lakefront for over 40 years. $10.00 to park anywhere to just get access to Belmont Harbor is a travesty. We all need to spread the word to put a stop to the excessive price gouging by the Chicago Park District. Please talk to everyone using the park, (joggers, walkers, dog walkers, bikers, birdwatchers and of course fisherman) to send a letter to the Mayor and Chicago Park District superintendant, Tim Mitchell. The ONLY way we have a chance to get Belmont back is to write a letter. You just need a FEW sentences in it. Just say it’s too expensive to fish there for you OR you’re a senior citizen and there is no other way you get there without using your car. Or say $10.00 if you only stay an hour is just too much money. You can also say that your tax dollars paid for this park and why are you paying that much to use it. You must SIGN your letter and put your name and return address on the envelope. If we don’t join together like the other groups we will lose all our fishing rights. A petition will not work.
YOU MUST SEND A LETTER .
Mail the letter to Mayor Daley and/or Tim Mitchell, Chicago Park District superintendant.
The same letter to each is fine. If you don’t live in the city the letter STILL counts. The city likes you coming in to go fishing and spending your money here.
Thank you,
Ken S.
Act Now!
Mail letters to:
Mayor Daley Tim Mitchell
121 N. La Salle St 541 N. Fairbanks
Chicago,IL. 60602 Chicago,IL. 60601
Great idea Ken S I sent a letter directly to Mayor Daley via his You Tube site but I think Phone is right. The city doesn't want poor old stinky fishermen anymore, they only want people with MONEY. Daley may have a slight sentimental attachment to fishermen because of his dad, but he'll soon be gone. Then what? I think Ken S. should run for mayor. He's got my vote.
I'm greatly concerned and upset about charging people $10.00 to park at Belmont harbor. My original understanding of why people were being charged was because the lakefront was so busy during the weekends and it was a way to control the traffic.
That made sense to me in some ways so I just stayed away during the weekends, but now we have to pay $10.00 every day. This is not fair to the fishermen and others that cannot afford it.
My biggest concern is for the older fishermen. They cannot afford this charge and are not able to bike in and it is unfair that more and more of our fishing spots are being taken away.
I honestly feel the lakefront should be a free place for everyone to go and it saddens me to see people getting charged to visit it. The lakefront is no longer fisherman friendly and this excessive price gouging needs to stop. A concerned fisherman. Mark Jones
OK Kenny, I wrote a (snailmail) letter to Mr. Mayor and sent a cc to Mr. Mitchell as you suggested. Took me about five minutes and cost two stamps. I hope every angler who loves the lakefront follows your good advice. Thanks Lip, you're alright for a Cubs fan. ;-)