ROGERS PARK — Officers were elected Tuesday to lead the newly formed Leone Beach Park advisory council ahead of a major renovation of the park and field house.
Eve Brownstone was elected president and Bobby Diamond, who had participated in the Junior Lifeguard Program there, was elected vice president, according to the council's meeting minutes. Christine Wellman was elected secretary and Terry Dee was elected treasurer.
The Chicago Park District confirmed the council was officially recognized.
Preliminary plans were presented by the Park District last month to renovate the park and field house at the north end of Loyola Park at 1222 W. Touhy Ave. Plans included kayak rentals and storage, concession or vendor space and an interactive nature center.
Seventeen residents attended the advisory council's meeting Tuesday at the Rogers Park Chamber of Commerce on Sheridan Road, according to meeting minutes.
The park and field house, a former pumping station built in 1889, has served as the home of Rogers Park's lifeguards since 1906. The park's namesake, former park supervisor Sam Leone, ran the Junior Lifeguard Program there for 40 years until his death in 1965.
Since then, the program has lost members in Rogers Park, but the Park District and supporters intend to draw more participants when the field house and park is renovated.
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