Sorry to hijack this so quickly but those pictures of the boathouse make me want to cry.
What a horribly underutilized asset. Why the Park District insists on building super-athletic-structures instead of remodeling this boathouse to create a real asset is beyond me?
If they (somebody, anybody) actually spent the money wisely and made this a top-notch facility, they would be able to make a killing for private parties all the while giving the Village a real showpiece.
It wouldn't take much either. We have considered having a Christmas party there and thought it was a nice facility. Put about $5-10 K in upgrades and it could be first rate. Can't beat the view, except for that beat up road on Glen Ellyn Place.
You can have liquor parties at the boathouse....absolutely. Been to two parties there with booze. And they weren't just me sneaking in with a flask. Real bartenders...and ice.
My recommendation for the WGN folks would be to serve up a bunch mimosas to allow our fine residents to make it through the broadcast of Jenny and Jane...or whatever the name of that morning zoo is.
Parking is a real holdup for that facility. But I wouldn't want to take any of the park away for a parking lot. At the least, though, they should expand the "sidewalk" to allow for folks to drive up and circle around. Then you could have party throwers hire their own valet service.
