High Winds Will Shut Down Ferris Wheel, Other Attractions At Navy Pier
CHICAGO (CBS) – Navy Pier's iconic Ferris wheel and some of its other outdoor attractions will be shut down Tuesday as Hurricane Sandy's local effects – winds of up to 60 mph – are felt along the lakefront.
"Our Ferris wheel is not going to blow over. We just don't want the gondolas to rock while folks are up there," Navy Pier spokesman Nick Shields tells CBS 2's Mike Parker.
The restrictions will affect Pier Park, the outdoor section of Navy Pier located between the Crystal Gardens and the Pepsi Skyline Stage. It includes the Ferris wheel, musical carousel and miniature golf. Access will be restricted to other outdoor areas, including the walkway that wraps around the Grand Ballroom on the pier's east end, Shields says.
Navy Pier's indoor shops, restaurants and attractions will remain open.
Shields says the restricted public access to the outdoor areas could be extended through Wednesday.
"We're going to monitor the National Weather Service and what they say and go from there," he tells CBS 2.
Navy Pier attracts more than 8 million people annually.
