Last week, the Illinois Supreme Court scuttled the hopes of kayakers and canoeists who want the right to paddle along small rivers and streams. The Legislature ought to toss a life preserver to the boaters by enshrining that right into law.
Unlike in some nearby states, Illinois law dating back to the 1800s does not make it clear kayakers and canoeists can legally paddle wherever water is deep enough to float their watercraft. Waterways are considered public property only if they are designated as navigable by commercial traffic.
