Kenilworth Channel reopening reconnected the lakes for paddlers

Amid years of frustration over Southwest Light Rail construction in Cedar-Isles-Dean, the reopening of the Kenilworth Channel stood out as a rare mark of progress. The restored passage between Lake of the Isles and Cedar Lake reopened to paddlers in late August 2023, after roughly two years closed first to stabilize the channel walls and then to build three new bridges over the water for the Metro Green Line Extension.

The channel is a small but beloved piece of the Chain of Lakes, letting boaters move between the lakes without portaging. Its closure severed that link; its reopening stitched the paddling route back together, with paddlers reporting that the remade stone retaining walls and a slightly deeper channel made the passage easier to use than before.

For a project defined largely by disruption, cost overruns and delay, the channel's return offered a tangible milestone neighbors could point to. The practical value was just as real: without the channel, a trip from the Isles to Cedar Lake means hauling a boat overland. The roughly $1 million rehabilitation restored the seamless, portage-free paddling that defines summer on the chain.

The 2023 reopening was the first of two key reconnections as the worst of the light-rail construction passed. The Kenilworth and Cedar Lake trails followed, reopening in November 2025 after roughly six years closed and restoring the corridor for cyclists and pedestrians. Together they marked the neighborhood beginning to recover its connectivity, by water and by trail.

With the channel reopened, paddlers can again move freely between Lake of the Isles and Cedar Lake. The Park Board posts water-access and route information, and seasonal rack permits make storing a boat near the water easier. Notice a channel obstruction or access issue? Send us a tip.