Petition to Preserve the Park
Petitions opposing the Chicago Children's Museum takeover of Daley Bicentennial Plaza have been circulating in the neighborhood near Daley Bicentennial Plaza. In the first two weeks of circulation, around 1500 signatures were collected. Final counts are expected to be considerably higher. Circulation of petitions is now ending, and neighborhood residents will again be reminding Alderman Natarus of their concerns.
Vocal neighborhood opposition to to the Children's Museum plan to take over the current site of the Daley Bicentennial Plaza is beginning to have some impact. A June 14 article in the Chicago Tribune quoted Alderman Natarus as saying that Peter England, CEO of the museum, had expressed "interest in a location farther south in Grant Park, near Monroe and Columbus Drives." However, a museum spokeperson also told the Tribune that the Daley Bicentennial Plaza site is still under consideration, and Peter England was not available for comment to the Tribune.
While preserving Daley Bicentennial Plaza as a community park is a primary concern, it is not the only concern. The land which constitutes the original footprint of Grant Park was deeded to remain "forever open, free and clear of buildings." Over time, this requirement has been repeatedly challenged, and the space remaining free of buildings has shrunk. The alternate site mentioned by the Tribune article is still clearly within the land area that is intended to be preserved as open space.
Other questions remain - how would the large structure that the museum prosposes to build (100,000 square feet) impact the surface and the landscape? How have museum officials come to believe that this protected park location is theirs for the taking? Why do they show no interest in seeking out locations elsewhere where a new museum and its visitors could enhance the community? How does the museum, whose current budget is only $6 million per year, expect to obtain the funding that would be required for such a large capital project?
Vocal neighborhood opposition to to the Children's Museum plan to take over the current site of the Daley Bicentennial Plaza is beginning to have some impact. A June 14 article in the Chicago Tribune quoted Alderman Natarus as saying that Peter England, CEO of the museum, had expressed "interest in a location farther south in Grant Park, near Monroe and Columbus Drives." However, a museum spokeperson also told the Tribune that the Daley Bicentennial Plaza site is still under consideration, and Peter England was not available for comment to the Tribune.
While preserving Daley Bicentennial Plaza as a community park is a primary concern, it is not the only concern. The land which constitutes the original footprint of Grant Park was deeded to remain "forever open, free and clear of buildings." Over time, this requirement has been repeatedly challenged, and the space remaining free of buildings has shrunk. The alternate site mentioned by the Tribune article is still clearly within the land area that is intended to be preserved as open space.
Other questions remain - how would the large structure that the museum prosposes to build (100,000 square feet) impact the surface and the landscape? How have museum officials come to believe that this protected park location is theirs for the taking? Why do they show no interest in seeking out locations elsewhere where a new museum and its visitors could enhance the community? How does the museum, whose current budget is only $6 million per year, expect to obtain the funding that would be required for such a large capital project?
posted by Meta Brown at 5:40 AM
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