Surfing Soapbox: Winds may change in city

It may seem like a dreary day here in Chicago but for some the future has never been brighter. The decision was made to lift the city’s surfing ban and open up two beaches for surfing in the summer and four beaches for year-round.

It’s been nearly seven months since our first meeting with the Chicago city parks district, along with supporters Vince Deur, Todd Haugh and Mike Urban. Dozens of phone calls, hundreds of e-mails. I must admit it does seem strange to be talking about surfing in Chicago, but how completely mind blowing that it was illegal. Perhaps better said, overlooked. The Chicago city parks department has been nothing short of accommodating and gracious — not only in opening up the beaches for surfing; but more importantly going the extra mile for us in opening them up for surfers to enjoy this summer.

During the meeting today, I couldn’t help but feel proud of the men and women in the room working together and just how far along surfing as come. I know by this act of lifting the ban of surfing here, that it will one day impact someone’s life in a way never thought imaginable, because I do believe that surfing does have the power to change people.

It changed me.

This Saturday will be the first official day of legalized surfing in Chicago and I look forward to being a part of it. I don’t think there is a better feeling then when two sides can come together to work toward a common goal, such as this, and achieving it.

Here are the beaches now open for surfing:

In-season: Montrose and 57th Street;

Off-season: Montrose, 57th Street, Rainbow and Osterman.

The sport of surfing will be in good hands here, especially with the likes of Vince, Todd, and Mike supporting it along with the city parks department.

Surfing has come a long way since I began and will no doubt continue to grow and grow in a more positive light than that of yesterday, when it was mostly viewed as a beach bum sport. I can still hear my old high school counselor now, saying to me, “You want to be a pro surfer?” Yes, I do and I still do today — and so do many others.

Peace.

JAMES PRIBRAM is a Laguna Beach native, professional surfer and John Kelly Environmental Award winner. His websites include AlohaSchoolofSurfing and ECOWarrior Surf.com. He can be reached at Jamo@Aloha SchoolofSurfing.com