Wild Onion - 2nd Quarter 2008
Lincoln Park Land Grab: Protest Letters Needed ASAP to Mayor Daley
As part of a deal cloaked in secrecy, the Chicago Park District sold the exclusive rights to a four-acre chunk of the south end of Lincoln Park to the Latin School of Chicago.
There’s no other word to use regarding this deal except “sold.” The Chicago Park District Board approved a contract on Oct. 25, with minimal public notice, that gives the Latin School the ability to build a $900,000 artificial turf soccer stadium at the very south end of Lincoln Park. You’ve probably noticed the earthmovers inside the fenced off enclosure very close to the western side of the pedestrian bridge that spans Lake Shire Drive just north of North Avenue. Latin School will have nearly exclusive use of the field between March 1 and Oct. 31 for between 20 and 49 hours per week.
The Latin School is one of the city’s most expensive private schools. One of the Park District Commissioner’s kids attends the school; at least the commissioner abstained from voting. The Park District has set up citizen’s advisory boards for many of its park properties and generally allows these councils to comment on proposed activities. The Lincoln Park Advisory Council was not advised of the Latin School’s exclusive contract by the park district and its opposition to privatizing a public park has been ignored.
The Sierra Club, as ever, is adamant that public lands must remain public and available to all users. The club also is a fierce proponent of public input into land use decisions every where in the United States. Chicago is no different. Public lands must remain accessible. Period, end of discussion.
Chicago Group’s 9,000 members need to start writing letters to Mayor Richard M. Daley demanding that he ask the Park District Board reconsider its decision regarding Latin School’s soccer field sweet deal. There’s no reason why the earthmovers, stalled as they’ve been by winter weather, can’t simply move the earth back where it was, and why the CPD can’t reseed the four-acre parcel with native plants to create a natural area for everyone to enjoy.
Write a letter to Mayor Daley and ask him to help Keep Lincoln Park Public. Drop an email to the Mayor by going to the city’s web site egov.cityofchicago.org and clicking “About the Mayor” in the right column. You’ll be moved to a page that lets you link into The Mayor’s Office Homepage. Click it and then click Contact Us and complete the email form.