A familiar bevy of swans have again landed at Humboldt Park’s lagoon.
They’re set to receive some tender loving care after being cooped up in storage for nearly a year, but the flock of swans will soon be ready to carry people out onto the lagoon after taking last season off.
Wheel Fun Rentals, a California-based company that had offered swan boat rentals at the lagoon in partnership with the Chicago Park District, is bringing back its popular rentals to Humboldt Park, Franchisee co-owner Rodney Knight confirmed.
Over the weekend and on Monday, company workers were seen getting the boats back out onto the lagoon, conducting necessary maintenance work before they’re ready to pedal. Some of the boats will receive new heads, a fresh wash and some new parts.
The company, offering the pedal boat and bike rentals, had operated out of the lagoon boathouse at 1301 N. Humboldt Park Drive since 2018. Business, however, had been slow since the pandemic, so the franchise owners decided to close the concession before the start of last summer, with no immediate plans to return.
But with a prospective all-day cafe set to open at the boathouse veranda this year, Wheel Fun Rentals’ franchise owners decided to return its boat and bike services to Humboldt Park, Knight said. He also admitted to missing the popular boat service business last summer, which factored into the decision to return.
“Especially if there is a restaurant there, it can bring energy to the park and we need to be there,” Knight said. “We ultimately decided that even if the restaurant did not open, we were going to be coming back.”
The swan boats — about 15 of them — will be open for business April 25, he said.
Park District spokesperson Michele Lemons confirmed Wheel Fun Rentals will be returning to Humboldt Park, saying the company is finalizing its one-year agreement with the district.
New this season will be customer punch cards that will offer free third rental to guests who visit twice, Knight said.
“We are encouraging people to come more than once,” he said of the perk.
A swan boat rental will be $30 per hour while a four-wheeled Surrey bike will be $29 per hour and a double Surrey bike will be $39, in line with pricing from previous years.
Not having consistent nearby bathroom access for visitors, especially those with children, was partly a decision for closing the concession last year, owners said. Park District officials said the boathouse bathrooms will reopen for summer.
The concession will operate 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday-Sunday through May 17. It will then be open daily from May 22-Sept. 1. Hours from May 22-Aug. 17 are 11 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Monday-Friday and 9 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Saturday-Sunday and holidays. Hours from Aug 17-Sept. 1 are 1-6 p.m. daily.
For more information, view the company’s website.
