The Shore Path. It is perhaps the most unique aspect of this Lake Geneva scene. While water flows from one end to the other, from a shore over here to a shore over there, the thing that truly connects this lake is this path. The original iteration of this path is easy to imagine. It was a foot path for the indians who inhabited this land, a worn single track used by these residents and the deer to get from one location to another. Later the path became a means for estate staff and grounds workers to move from one estate to another. The path endured and was protected via a deed restriction that still today runs through every lakefront property on Geneva Lake. The shore path is immensely valuable to this lake, to these owners, to this thing we call Lake Geneva.
The shore path, no matter if it is a recored as a public right, is best viewed as a privilege. The constitution does not protect the shore path. It is simply a privilege, bestowed onto the public by a benevolent group of owners who, 130 years ago, could not have foreseen the path becoming the tourist attraction that it is today. Take away the boats, the fancy piers, the ornate lawns and strip this lake down to its very natural, undisturbed state and the only thing that would remain is that single path. Though there are signs occasionally to remind the path strollers that this path is on private property and should be treated with respect, the path is often the subject of much abuse.
Path walkers are to do one simple thing when they walk the path around Geneva Lake: Stay on the path. This concept is not difficult to understand. The path does not give a walker the right to comb the private beach in front of the path for sea glass or shells. The path does not give the walker the right to snip a flower or two along the way. The path is not intended to encourage loitering. There should be no resting, no matter how weary the walker, on the lawns of those great lakefront properties. The path is for walking and walking only. Leash your dogs or leave them at home.
With that understood, imagine my surprise to hear that the City of Lake Geneva has voted to allow a running race to take place along this venerable path. I have significant issues with the city itself, with the government run by those that seemingly fail to understand why the city is popular. The city exists solely because of the lakefront home owner, as without that high tax paying vacation home owner, there would be no means to carry out whatever it is the city is intent on carrying out. I was in the room yesterday while a local resident argued with a city employee over a parking ticket. The city employee was refuting every argument this resident made as to why he shouldn’t have been given a $20 parking ticket. The city worker staunchly rebuffed the residents claims as though her very life depended on it. This is the city that has forgotten what made it popular in the first place.
The city voted to allow this race, to be run by as many as 150 racers, to occur over Memorial Day Weekend. This old single track around Geneva Lake is ill-suited to host a race of any variety, and the group who should have been defending this historical footpath instead voted to exploit it. For shame, city aldermen, for shame. And shame on Clearwater Outdoor for having any part in this race (according to the Muck-Suck website). As an owner here or an interested party in this lake, you should be motivated to keep the serenity of it all intact. There are few vestiges of history here that can rival that path, and the path should be protected at any cost. The city has approved the race for this year, likely out of the primary governmental motivator greed, but there is time to stop this race from ever occurring again.
Reach out to the City of Lake Geneva and tell them to knock it off. The footpath is meant for leisurely strolls, not organized races. Keep the races to the streets and protect the path. The mayor and city aldermen are listed below. According to what I’ve read, the only alderman who voted against this exploitation was John Halverson. Well done, John.
akupsik@cityoflakegeneva.com
sstraube@cityoflakegeneva.com
echappell@cityoflakegeneva.com
dskates@cityoflakegeneva.com
rhedlund@cityoflakegeneva.com
bkordus@cityoflakegeneva.com
khowell@cityoflakegeneva.com
cflower@cityoflakegeneva.com
jhalverson@cityoflakegeneva.com
The only approval that City Hall gave was for the use of library park from 10 am to 2 pm the day of the event. They do not give approval for use of the lakeshore path, nobody does. It’s an easement along the shore for the public’s use. So, none of the towns around the lake give permits for use of the lakeshore. That said, I completely disagree with the use of the path for this manner. Honestly “event’s” like this could cause a ripple effect and it would be a shame if that would turn into possibly lot’s becoming private (like Green Lake) with no access allowed.
There’s no correlation between disallowing public races on the path and the path being abandoned (your Green Lake mention). The path is specifically a foot path. The city of Lake Geneva heard the plan for the race, knowing it was on the shore path, and approved the use of their park for the event. While they did not “approve” the use of the path, by allowing the event to be headquartered at the park they effectively granted permission for the path race. It’s a problem and I guarantee it won’t be allowed in 2018 and beyond.