It looks as if the Gay Games Regatta was not a prelude to Crystal Lake becoming a big time venue for crewing.

The Chicago Tribune reported 9 days ago that the Cal-Sag Canal will be the site of a Southland Regatta today. It will take place at Fay’s Point, a condominium and marina being developed on the canal.

Universities from which some 300 women rowers will participate are Indiana, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Notre Dame and Wisconsin.

The comment from Blue Island Mayor Donald Peloquin sounds so much like Crystal Lake Mayor Aaron Shepley’s boosterism, which included willingness to consider excavating one end of Crystal Lake or the other or, maybe, both to make it long enough for Olympic regattas.

Here’s what Shepley told the Northwest Herald:

” If it even became remotely possible, I’d be tickled to tackle that one. That sounds like the closest thing to reality.”

Here’s what the Blue Island mayor said:

“It’s especially gratifying to see our river become an outstanding recreational resource for these athletes and the community at large.”

Of course, the West End would have to be dredged to 3 meters—about the depth when I was the only early morning fisherman on the lake the summer of 1958, which is doable—and the lake would have to be lengthened about 100 meters.

Was Shepley thinking about sacrificing the homes on the west end of Crystal Lake or the recenty re-modeled Crystal Lake Beach House to make the lake long for an Olympic race?

Races on the Cal-Sag Canal Sunday will be 2,000 meter and 3-miles. Crystal Lake is about 1¼ mile long.

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The top photo is from the Gay Games Regatta. The bottom two are from the high school regatta held this past May 5th. Upper Arlington, Ohio, won this race. All pictures can be enlarged by clicking on them.