On a not-so-sunny day, Chicago residents still couldn’t resist heading to lakefront beaches, which opened for the summer Friday.
Jaylen Brown, 19, from the West Loop, came to North Avenue Beach to play volleyball with his twin brother, Jaydan, and their friends. The game was a way for them to reconnect after returning from college, they said, and they plan to be at the beach “as much as possible.”
“We played volleyball in high school. Being able to hang out with each other outdoors [is] what we’re looking forward to doing,” Jaylen Brown said.
The city’s 22 beaches will be open daily with lifeguards on duty from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. through Labor Day, Sept. 2.
At a Monday news conference, Sam Jorden, manager of beaches and pools with the Chicago Park District, said the city has enough lifeguards to staff the lakefront and open every pool.
“Water safety is the primary focus for the Chicago Park District’s highly trained, certified lifeguards,” Jorden said. “Swimming is only allowed when lifeguards are present and on duty.”
The city is still recruiting summer lifeguards. So far, almost 2,000 candidates have applied, and the application will stay open until June 1, said Irene Tostado, a spokesperson for the park district.
“We are very optimistic about the success of our hiring campaign efforts,” Tostado said in an email.
At North Avenue Beach, lifeguards observed beachgoers from their chairs Friday. There was a green flag, signifying the beach was open for swimming. A red flag means the beach is closed, while a yellow one warns swimmers to be cautious.
The beach was less crowded than expected, according to visitors. Beachgoers were scattered across the lakefront, as some sprawled on beach towels and a handful splashed in the water.
Carol Curatti, 47, from St. Charles, came to the beach with her daughter and friend to “get some sun — if it comes out.” The National Weather Service expected a “mostly cloudy day,” with possibly a few “peeks” of sun.
The National Weather Service said it was monitoring storms for the afternoon and evening. Friday’s temperature was around 70 degrees.
Visitors also came from all over.
Melissa Oran, 35, traveled from Indianapolis with her 8-year-old and 4-year-old sons. They stopped by the beach to play in the water and make sand castles, she said. Though her sons took a dip, Oran was not planning on stepping into Lake Michigan, where the temperature varied from the upper 50s to lower 60s on Friday.
“I’m not brave enough. I think it’s kind of chilly right now,” Oran said.
Some visitors, like Muhamed Thanon’s 2-year-old son, were visiting the beach for the first time. The family laid on the sand, keeping an eye on the toddler.
“He’s loving it. He’s just playing with the sand,” said Thanon, 22, from Alsip. “I just wanted to enjoy the view, the waves.”
Fatima Ortiz, 17, ditched school Friday, swapping the classroom for the beach — a much better place to be, she said.
“[We’re] just trying to relax and have a day to not care about anything,” Ortiz said. “We’ve got ice cream and snacks.”
