Residents urge council to pause District 65 school closures, preserve Lincolnwood and neighborhood open space

Dozens of residents used the public comment period at the Oct. 20 Evanston City Council meeting to press elected officials on proposed school closures in District 65 and to ask the city to press pause on any sale or repurposing of neighborhood school property.

Speakers described Lincolnwood Elementary as a neighborhood asset used daily for recreation and learning and urged the council to coordinate more closely with the school district and the public before any final decisions are implemented. Several commenters said closing the school and selling the property would eliminate informal parkland and place longer term burdens on families who walk and bike to their neighborhood school.

David Ivy, a Sixth Ward resident, asked the council to "preserve Lincolnwood as an active neighborhood elementary school and community asset," saying closure would increase transportation costs and commute times for working families and remove a contiguous open space used for recreation. Other commenters echoed concerns about equitable impacts: they said proposed closures would disproportionately affect neighborhoods that already host many social services and community supports.

Multiple public‑comment presenters called for a pause in the school closure process and asked for a joint City‑District working group so land‑use decisions about publicly owned school property are coordinated with city plans on parks, transportation and housing. Martha Klitsky, speaking later in the online portion, asked that the city "amend the plan text and map to include Lincolnwood and Kingsley schools as Sixth Ward assets" and to adopt a resolution creating a District 65 working group to coordinate school closure impacts with the Envision Evanston 2045 goals; that request was presented as public comment and was not voted on by the council during the Oct. 20 meeting.

Why it matters Neighborhood elementary schools shape family choices and influence housing demand, pedestrian and traffic patterns, and open‑space use. Residents said closing a school can permanently remove neighborhood green space and reduce the community’s ability to respond to future enrollment increases that could come from new housing. Commenters urged the council to treat school‑closure decisions as part of the city’s broader land‑use and comprehensive planning effort.

Council response and next steps Council members noted the school‑district process is separate but acknowledged the issues raised and the community’s concern. The council did not adopt any formal resolution on school closures Oct. 20; however, several council members urged staff coordination and signaled willingness to meet with District 65 representatives. The City School Liaison Committee has a scheduled session and city staff said they will share relevant plan materials and demographic data with the district and the public. Residents were encouraged to attend the District 65‑city liaison meeting and upcoming joint budget and facilities discussions.

Quote "Closing the school would displace students into more distant attendance areas, increasing transportation costs, traffic congestion, and commute times," said David Ivy, a Sixth Ward resident, urging the council to preserve Lincolnwood Elementary.

What to watch Residents seeking to influence school‑site and closure decisions should follow District 65 board agendas and the city’s liaison committee schedule. The council directed staff to publish a consolidated Envision Evanston 2045 draft and to schedule a special session for council review; residents said they expect the city to coordinate with the school district as part of that review.