The timeline
1835 Chicagoans lobby to protect lakefront land and designate what is now the downtown area of Grant Park as “public ground forever to remain vacant of buildings."
1901 After the Great Chicago Fire, Architect Daniel Burnham envisions a formal landscape for the Park, including buildings. Magnate Aaron Montgomery Ward sues in opposition.
1911 Illinois Supreme Court rules in Ward’s favor.
Late 2005 Chicago Children’s Museum seeks to relocate to the current location of Daley Bicentennial Plaza. Report appears in Chicago Journal December 5, 2005.
Jan 2006 Additional newspaper reports of the Chicago Children’s Museum plan begin to surface. Chicago Children’s Museum representatives meet with Grant Park Advisory Council (also known as Grant Park Conservancy) Jan 24. Grant Park Advisory Council supports the plan. Report appears in Skyline February 2, 2006.
Feb 2006 Friends of the Park gives conditional support to the plan. Chicago Tribune publishes report on plan showing 4-story atrium on Randolph Street.
March 2006 Friends of Downtown publicly oppose plan. Report appears in Chicago Sun-Times March 16, 2006. Residents of nearby buildings, led by Peggy and John Figiel, meet for the first time to discuss plan, which includes 4 story atrium, demolition of the skating rink, demolition of the fieldhouse and reconstruction in a new location in the northeast corner of the park at Randolph. The proposed museum is a building of 100,000 square feet. The group is strongly opposed. An informal opposition group, Friends of Daley Bi, is formed.
May 2006 Alderman Natarus vows opposition to the plan at a meeting attended by about 400 people. [Newspaper reports give somewhat smaller attendance numbers, the figure of 400 is based on attendance sheets from the meeting.] Report appears in Chicago Tribune May 10, 2006. Chicago Children’s Museum officials publicly announce their intention to continue to pursue the plan. Report appears in Chicago Tribune May 12, 2006. Skyline publishes editorial by Ann Gerber opposing plan, published May 18, 2006.
June 2006 Over 2000 people sign a petition to Mayor Daley opposing the move. Report appears in Chicago Tribune stating that the Chicago Children’s Museum was considering locations further south, published June 14, 2006.
September 2006 Mayor Daley holds press conference announcing move of Chicago Children’s Museum to Grant Park at northeast corner of Monroe and Columbus (current location of minigolf couse). Reported by CBS 5 and Chicago Sun-Times September 28, 2006. Natarus claims the plan is a victory for the neighborhood and refers to it in campaign literature.
November 2006 Coalition of nonprofits meets in opposition to the new plan. Report appears in Chicago Tribune November 22, 2006.
May 2007 Chicago Children’s Museum makes new bid for Daley Bi location. Residents begin phoning Mayor Daley’s office in opposition. Informal reports of around 200 calls in the first 1-2 days. Grant Park Conservancy presents information about proposal despite a press release from Chicago Children’s Museum stating that such meetings do not represent their plan. Press release dated May 29, 2007. Grant Park Conservancy, still in favor of the plan, presents slides of preliminary drawings, showing a two-story atrium and 100,000 square foot museum facility.
1901 After the Great Chicago Fire, Architect Daniel Burnham envisions a formal landscape for the Park, including buildings. Magnate Aaron Montgomery Ward sues in opposition.
1911 Illinois Supreme Court rules in Ward’s favor.
Late 2005 Chicago Children’s Museum seeks to relocate to the current location of Daley Bicentennial Plaza. Report appears in Chicago Journal December 5, 2005.
Jan 2006 Additional newspaper reports of the Chicago Children’s Museum plan begin to surface. Chicago Children’s Museum representatives meet with Grant Park Advisory Council (also known as Grant Park Conservancy) Jan 24. Grant Park Advisory Council supports the plan. Report appears in Skyline February 2, 2006.
Feb 2006 Friends of the Park gives conditional support to the plan. Chicago Tribune publishes report on plan showing 4-story atrium on Randolph Street.
March 2006 Friends of Downtown publicly oppose plan. Report appears in Chicago Sun-Times March 16, 2006. Residents of nearby buildings, led by Peggy and John Figiel, meet for the first time to discuss plan, which includes 4 story atrium, demolition of the skating rink, demolition of the fieldhouse and reconstruction in a new location in the northeast corner of the park at Randolph. The proposed museum is a building of 100,000 square feet. The group is strongly opposed. An informal opposition group, Friends of Daley Bi, is formed.
May 2006 Alderman Natarus vows opposition to the plan at a meeting attended by about 400 people. [Newspaper reports give somewhat smaller attendance numbers, the figure of 400 is based on attendance sheets from the meeting.] Report appears in Chicago Tribune May 10, 2006. Chicago Children’s Museum officials publicly announce their intention to continue to pursue the plan. Report appears in Chicago Tribune May 12, 2006. Skyline publishes editorial by Ann Gerber opposing plan, published May 18, 2006.
June 2006 Over 2000 people sign a petition to Mayor Daley opposing the move. Report appears in Chicago Tribune stating that the Chicago Children’s Museum was considering locations further south, published June 14, 2006.
September 2006 Mayor Daley holds press conference announcing move of Chicago Children’s Museum to Grant Park at northeast corner of Monroe and Columbus (current location of minigolf couse). Reported by CBS 5 and Chicago Sun-Times September 28, 2006. Natarus claims the plan is a victory for the neighborhood and refers to it in campaign literature.
November 2006 Coalition of nonprofits meets in opposition to the new plan. Report appears in Chicago Tribune November 22, 2006.
May 2007 Chicago Children’s Museum makes new bid for Daley Bi location. Residents begin phoning Mayor Daley’s office in opposition. Informal reports of around 200 calls in the first 1-2 days. Grant Park Conservancy presents information about proposal despite a press release from Chicago Children’s Museum stating that such meetings do not represent their plan. Press release dated May 29, 2007. Grant Park Conservancy, still in favor of the plan, presents slides of preliminary drawings, showing a two-story atrium and 100,000 square foot museum facility.
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