Plenty of Options

The Chicago Children's Museum has long insisted that the location of the existing Daley Bicentennial Plaza in Grant Park is the only one acceptable option for its proposed 100,000 square foot building, despite laws prohibiting building in Grant Park and strong opposition from Chicagoans throughout the city. Alderman Brendan Reilly disagrees, and he has offered a list of 24 alternatives.

"To suggest there is only one location where the museum can succeed and thrive in Grant Park doesn't pass the smell test," Reilly said.

Chicago Sun-Times, February 21, 2008

Museum Campus

Northerly Island

Logan Square

Garfield Park Conservatory

Pritzker Park

Washington Park

Bronzeville

Calumet Park

Englewood

State and Van Buren

McCormick Place East

Museum of Broadcast History

Chicago Riverwalk (South Bank at Lake Michigan)

Michigan and Roosevelt (South Loop)

Notebaert Nature Museum (Lincoln Park)

Lincoln Park Zoo (adjacent to zoo)

Old U.S. Post Office

Chicago Athletic Association (South Michigan Ave.)

Carson Pirie Scott Building (State Street)

Former Brach's Candy Factory

U.S. Cellular Field (adjacent to ballpark)

Expansion on Navy Pier

Montrose Park

1 S. Dearborn (50 percent vacant)

Saving Grant Park

Chicagoans are still fighting to prevent the Chicago Children's Museum from building a 100,000 building in Grant Park. Get the latest information by visiting the Save Grant Park website and signing up for Save Grant Park updates.

Why Grant Park Matters

Among the ten largest cities in the United States, Chicago enjoys less park space per resident than any other. Yet precious park space is at risk of takeover by private interests.

Land which is now the heart of Grant Park along the Lake Michigan shoreline was designated in 1836 by city founders to remain "Public Ground - A Common to Remain Forever Open, Clear and Free of any Buildings, or Other Obstruction Whatever." Since the late 19th century, this designation has been challenged by a host of interests seeking the glory of a location on this prime open space, and it has taken efforts of both citizens and courts to preserve it. Today, private interests have their eye on the section of Grant Park known as Daley Bicentennial Plaza, seeking to displace existing park resources and construct a 100,000 square foot building in the park.

Editors of The Chicago Tribune, The Chicago Sun-Times, Crain's Chicago Business and Skyline Newspaper have spoken out against the Chicago Children's Museum proposal to build a 100,000 square foot museum in the protected area of Grant Park. Thousands of Chicago residents have petitioned to preserve the park. Friends of Downtown has spoken out. Your voice is needed to preserve open space in Grant Park. You can help preserve precious park space - call your alderman's office to speak out today.

Don't know you alderman? Need more information? You can find it on the Save Grant Park website.

Chicago's mayor faces a revolt

Concern about the Chicago Children’s Museum proposal to build a new 100,000 square foot building in Grant Park has spread way beyond the neighborhood. This week articles on the topic have appeared in publications from coast to coast and even in Europe, mostly drawing from material syndicated by the Associated Press. Even the Economist, a well-known British newsweekly with international distribution, covered the topic with an article of their own, stating that “In a fight over Grant Park, Chicago's mayor faces a small revolt.”

Your help is needed to fuel that revolt. Each and every Chicago alderman needs to hear from constituents. Contact your friends and family throughout Chicago. Contact your enemies, too, as long as they love Grant Park. Ask them all to call their aldermen and encourage them to support Alderman Brendan Reilly and oppose the Chicago Children’s Museum plan to build in Grant Park.

It’s easy to get the word out - visit the Save Grant Park website, and click the Tell a friend link to generate an email message that you can send to friends. The message includes information on how to identify your alderman and get the phone number.

Keep those calls to aldermen coming - Chicago’s city council must be reminded that Grant Park is not up for grabs.

1) CALL YOUR ALDERMAN'S OFFICE.
State your name and address and ask the alderman to support Alderman Brendan Reilly’s efforts to save Grant Park. This takes only a minute.

2) ASK OTHERS TO DO THE SAME!
Not sure how to ask? Go to www.savegrantpark.com and click the “Tell a friend” link which makes it easy to use your own email software to send a message with instructions on why and how to contact alderman.

Don't know the ward? Look it up here: http://www.chicagoelections.com/voterinfo/

Find the alderman's phone number (lookup by ward or name): http://www.chicityclerk.com/citycouncil/alderman/find.html