After spending a week in beautiful Bonaire, I come home to Chicago to learn they are planning a ban on kitesurfing HERE!

No accidents, no incidents, no injuries. Just a ban for "fear" of liability!

Please help us prevent this travesty from happening. Fishing, surfing, windsurfing and so many other popular activities were faced with bans and harsh restrictions at various times over the decades. Proponents sat down with officials and worked through the concerns and made it possible for these activities to continue benefiting not only the participants but the community at large.

Failing to conduct a dialog to arrive at an effective resolution is a disservice both to kiteboarders but also to the public that enjoy watching the sport and to merchants that benefit from revenues from the participants and spectators. Chicago has a history of great accomplishments and leadership in the nation, pulling the plug on a marvelous activity like kiteboarding without first attempting a meaningful dialog and structure for accommodation of the sport, is inconsistent with this great city's laudable record of achievement.

This process has been done MANY times successfully in other parts of the USA and World. Kiteboarding can successfully coexist with other activities along the lake, it merely takes some organization and effort, largely on the part of local kiteboarders. It has been done before and I believe it can be done here. Please don't take the easy path by simply banning kiteboarding as could have easily been done with so many other activities that are commonly enjoyed today to the benefit of the City, residents and visitors. Please visit this link:

http://www.chicagokitesurfing.com/letters.html

Download one of the letters and make a few changes to it. Print it, and sent it to the address. PLEASE take the time to do this. They meet on May 12th! Be professional with them. Tell them you don't understand how Chicago can do this when there are so many places that embrace this dynamic sport. Thank you!

Hey, I am getting a flash back here... "failing to conduct a dialog"
Bonaire is beautiful, yes, and I am glad you liked it here, but we've experienced a similar thing, with the difference that we are still lucky that we are allowed on the south shore of the island. We also try to work on something over there, to get some kind of non profit organization with rules and regulations for the kiteboarders(and a safety boat) but sofar nada... It's like you say, it takes some organization and effort, but unfortunately you also need the authorities for that.
Knowing how it is when you're sport is being approached in an unjust way, I'll print the letter and send it, hoping they will show some sense so you can also practice your sport at home...
Good luck in your fight!!

Sorry but somehow I suspect there is a lot more to this story. The last month while on Bonaire I watched a kiteboarder going from about the slave huts up to the salt pier, do 2 or 3 flips and return at high speed at no more that 50 ft (yes feet not yards) off shore. I watched him/her do this several times. He was a accident waiting to happen.