Canal Shores Golf Course in Evanston and Wilmette celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2019 with a lineup of special events, concerts, golf tournaments and celebrations, in addition to what it’s always been known for, 18 holes of great golf.
“This is an important year for Canal Shores as we celebrate our centennial and focus on our mission of making golf accessible and affordable to everyone,” said Karl Leinberger, president of the Evanston Wilmette Golf Course Association which manages the course. “We want people to take part in these events and better yet, come out and golf this one-of-a-kind course.”
Canal Shores’ mission also emphasizes introducing kids to the great sport of golf, and improving the ecological health of its 82 acres.
The 18-hole, par 60 golf course in Evanston and Wilmette also offers fast, fun and flexible five- and 10-hole loop options. Its tight fairways wind through neighborhoods, tunnel under the L tracks, and include two signature over-the-canal shots.
The course was established in 1919 by Peter N. Jans to help beautify the North Shore Channel after it was excavated to reverse the flow of the Chicago River. Jans wanted to make golf accessible and affordable for all; he wanted others to be able to reap the benefits the sport had brought to his life. The course changed names several times, eventually becoming known as the Peter N. Jans Golf Course then changing to Canal Shores.
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In November 2018, the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) board approved an easement request from the Cook County Department of Transportation and Highways that would allow a roadway providing access to a landlocked parcel of land in Wilmette that a landowner wants to sell to a developer. The acre of land has been listed for sale since late fall 2018.
Canal Shores’ 18 holes are fully open, and the Canal Shores board is working to ensure that this community treasure – enjoyed by generations – remains intact for the next 100 years.
Canal Shores receives no public funding and relies solely on greens fees, event fees and private fundraising. All donations are tax deductible.