What is Chicago’s ‘Playpen’? Explaining the hot spot on Lake Michigan.

Chicago Tribune staff, Chicago Tribune
·3 min read
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Here’s what to know about the party-friendly area of Lake Michigan known as the “Playpen” after a second boating accident in a week.

Where is the Playpen?

The Playpen is a no-wake boating hot spot, just south of Oak Street Beach and north of Navy Pier, where powerboats often raft together and a see-and-be-seen crowd soaks up perfect skyline views. The area is popular with boaters because of the dampening effect the break walls have on the waves, which means the Playpen’s waters tend to be calmer even if it’s choppy out on the lake, said Ald. Brian Hopkins, 2nd, whose ward covers the Playpen.

“Boats can tie up together and create large flotillas where you can actually hop from one boat to another,” Hopkins said. “It’s a social experience where boaters like to meet other boaters, and parties like to meet other partygoers. That’s really the attraction of the Playpen.”

What are the rules at the Playpen?

The Playpen is regulated by the U.S. Coast Guard, and monitored by the Coast Guard, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and the Chicago Police Marine Unit.

It doesn’t have an official maximum capacity, according to Lt. Tony Mendez, commanding officer with the marine unit, but reckless boating or operating while under the influence is regulated by the enforcement agencies, he said.

History of the Playpen

In 2005, boaters gathered in the Playpen to hold a parade in remembrance of the Sept. 11, 2001, tragedy.

In 2013, boaters said they spotted Blackhawks players partying in the Playpen after they won the Stanley Cup that year.

During the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown, all was quiet at the Playpen as Mayor Lori Lightfoot shut down the floating adult playland in Lake Michigan that summer, along with the city’s beaches, parks and trails.

“Sorry folks, the Playpen will not be open this summer,” Mayor Lori Lightfoot said.

In 2021, Ald. Brendan Reilly, 42nd, introduced a measure in City Council to apply the city noise ordinance that limits the volume of amplified sounds on city streets to the boats in the Playpen, along with the Chicago River and the Ogden boat slips.

Recent issues at the Playpen

In July 2019, Arthur Labinjo went missing while boat hopping at the Playpen the weekend of the Chicago Scene Boat Party, an unsanctioned tradition of boating enthusiasts linking up their vessels and partying. One week later, his body was found in Lake Michigan, off the city’s Gold Coast.

Also in July 2019, the owner of the Flying Lady — a ‘Playpen’ yacht with a stripper pole — was charged with a multimillion-dollar fraud scheme.

Last weekend at the Playpen, Lana Batochir’s feet were severed by a boat’s propeller when a 37-foot chartered yacht driven by a licensed captain reversed over a raft she’d been floating on. The 34-year-old mother of two had both of her legs amputated because of the injury.

Late Wednesday, one person was left in critical condition after falling off a boat at the Playpen and search units were still looking for a second person late Wednesday evening near the Jardine Water Purification Plant. A body was pulled from the water near Montrose Harbor early Thursday, but it wasn’t immediately clear whether the man pulled from the water was the same person who had been missing.