Following months of conversations regarding the possibility of organizing the first open swim event on the Chicago River in over a century, city officials have denied the Chicago River Swim's permit application, citing "safety concerns." To put it simply: The swim is not happening any time soon.
A Long Swim, a non-profit group dedicated to promoting ALS research, was the event's organizer, hoping to entice 500 experienced swimmers to participate in an open swim for charity on September 22.
"While the City of Chicago recognizes the positive nature of the ‘A Long Swim’ open water swimming event in the Chicago River, the proposed route and concentration of swimmers raised significant safety concerns for participants, first responders, and the general public,” city spokeswoman Erica Schroeder said in an official statement last week.
Schroeder also revealed that the city has proposed al alternative route that would guarantee "high standards of safety for all participants and the effective allocation of city resources."
Although the organization behind the would-be happening did not indicate whether it would accept the offered alternative, it did mention its intention to work with the city to still mount the event.
"On Friday evening we were informed that one department of the city of Chicago—the Chicago Department of Transportation—has denied our permit for the inaugural Chicago River Swim," said Doug McConnell, the founder of A Long Swim, in an official statement. "While we are disappointed, we are hopeful that we will have the opportunity to address CDOT’s concerns and demonstrate the strength of our comprehensive safety plan."
Considering that open swim events have not been held on the Chicago River since the 1920s and that A Long Swim announced the celebration before it was able to secure permits, we are not surprised by the most recent development.
That being said, we're still hoping in some sort of safe solution that might actually turn the Chicago River into our go-to local swimming destination in the near future. In the meantime, we'll have to stick with Chicago beaches and public pools.