The Canal Shores Golf Course began its $5.9 million renovation to bring its irrigation system up to par last year. With a fresh name — The Evans at Canal Shores — the course is teeing off a new era and chipping in with several new youth development programs to the Evanston community.

The first 13 holes reopened in August after being closed since June 2023. The remaining holes — 19 in total, including one new hole to be used primarily for a youth development program — are expected to open in spring 2025, said Josh Lesnik, executive vice president for golf at KemperSports, which operates The Evans.

“We’re improving the physical aspects of the golf course, and everyone’s really happy with the results,” Lesnik said. “But the raising of the money is really because we’re going to be changing lives through golf.”

The Evans will partner with First Tee Greater Chicago, an organization that combines youth golf lessons with a life skills curriculum. First Tee’s programs aim to help children develop “inner strength, self-confidence and resilience” via its mentorship program, according to its website.

At the renovated course, the Western Golf Association will establish a caddy academy for pre-teens and teenagers. The organization plans to train children in need to become caddies, paying them the caddy fees and allowing golfers to have free caddies, Lesnik said.

“Our goal is to get these kids that are on the school lunch program,” Lesnik said. “They’re diligent in school, they want to finish high school, go to college, finish college, get a job and then they can give back to their communities.”

The Evans Scholars Foundation, which hosts a house at Northwestern for students who worked as caddies, provides roughly 1,200 students per year with full tuition and housing scholarships at 24 universities.

Lesnik said he hopes students who learn to play golf with First Tee and train with the WGA will apply for the scholarship.

First Tee, the WGA and the Wadsworth Golf Charities Foundation donated a large portion of the funds for the revocation because they believed in The Evans’ goal to empower kids through golf, Lesnik added.

Like Evanston’s newly-renamed course, the Evans Scholarship is named after Chick Evans, a top amateur golfer in the 1910s and 1920s and a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame.

“We wanted to honor Chick because the goal of the whole program is to get Evans Scholars,” Lesnik said. “That’s why we’re doing what we’re doing every day.”

Evanston resident Victoria Nguyen said she enjoys golfing at The Evans because of its unique scenery, especially its view of Wilmette’s Baháʼí House of Worship.

“It’s local,” Nguyen said. “It’s nice to come out”

Although she is not a golfer herself, Ald. Eleanor Revelle (7th) said she enjoys walking on the North Shore Channel trail, which runs adjacent to the course.

Revelle said residents near the course were concerned about the number of trees that had to be cut down to allow grass to grow in the sunlight.

“They have a really robust plan for replanting trees and lower shrubs,” Revelle said. “They’re very conscious of native plants, birds and insects. I think they’re very good stewards.”

Lesnik said The Evans is committed to the ecology surrounding the course and is planting more native trees and shrubs on the trail.

In August 2023, concerned residents circulated a petition to prevent the removal of several cottonwood trees, arguing that they’re a historic part of the neighborhood.

“We had to take some trees down,” Lesnik said. “But we left way more, and we’re giving back way more, so we could live with ourselves.”

Lesnik said the exact opening date for the remaining holes depends on the soil temperature next spring, but he estimated that the course might reopen for the season around June 1, 2025.

“It’s an oasis in an urban setting,” Lesnik said. “We gave it a little architectural flair, and that’s why I’m excited for people to see it.”

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