The Glencoe Park District is looking at spending an estimated $80,000 to study bluff erosion following damage to its beach house.
At the Sept. 6 Special Projects and Facilities Committee Meeting of the park board, Parks and Maintenance Director Chris Leiner said a recent report from an engineering firm that reviewed all the park district’s properties stated that the retaining walls and stairway of the beach house are in decay. Leiner said the problem could be tied to bluff erosion.
The Park District may consider retaining a separate engineering firm that specializes in bluff preservation to see if that is a cause of the problem, Leiner said.
“We want to maintain the bluffs like the special amenity that they are in our inventory,” Leiner said, adding that short-term repairs at the beach house would only do so much.
“Fixing the retaining wall is just a portion of it,” Leiner said. “Having the proper plant material and ensuring that 25-30 years down the line our staff and beach house is not in trouble is where we need to be.”
The board appeared to agree that a full assessment is needed.
“It is too important of an asset to not take a long-term view and figure out what we can do,” said Steve Gaines, park board president.
The beach house was constructed in 1928 and renovated in 1998 for approximately $800,000, according to Erin Maassen, the Park District’s spokeswoman.
Park District officials said an analysis would cost approximately $80,000 and, if approved, would be conducted in 2017.
The park board is expected to approve the expenditure at its Sept. 20 meeting.
Daniel I. Dorfman is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press
