From Bob O'Neill --

Eyes around the world are on Grant Park:

Lollapalooza proposed ten-year contract.

Meeting Details:

When: Monday, November 10th, 2008 at 6:30pm

Where: Daley Bicentennial Plaza - 337 E. Randolph just east of Columbus Drive in Grant Park's fieldhouse.

We apologize for the short notice but we just found out that the Park Board could vote on this next week.

This will mean that over $15 million could be generated and used for park improvements around the city. We will also make sure that Grant Park will receive a percentage each year for Grant Park improvements. This includes the planting of trees, Solti Garden and other gardens, the Grant Park Skate Plaza, rebuilding of crumbling walkways, perhaps a natural lawn area that is free of pesticides and herbicides among many other improvements.

The best way for all of this to work is to deliver the improvements to Grant Park that come directly from Lollapalooza. We also want to encourage more people to live in high-rises around the park as it is a very attractive place to live. They also help shape Chicago's skyline, one to the top-three in the world, keeping it dynamic and offering some of the best views of it from the park and lake as was seen this past Tuesday. High-rises around the park are also environmentally-efficient land-use and help energize downtown and make it a world-class city and help increase greenspace. At the same time, we need to balance the large crowds and make sure this is done like it was this week with the Obama rally. We need to continue to reduce the tension from crowds on residents by improving the park and making sure that those who use it respect it and take pride in it as Chicago's front yard to the world. Grant Park is a park for all of Chicago and we need your input on balancing the uses of it. As was seen this week, Grant Park is capable of wonderful events and we want to showcase our hard work to the world. Increasingly, more and more attention will be paid to Grant Park as its visibility rises around the world with a U.S. President from Chicago and by an expanded Lollapalooza. Grant Park is and is increasingly becoming Chicago's lively, outdoor civic and cultural center and beautiful green front yard.
Thank you,

Bob O'Neill
312-927-6795

A couple articles about this from Friday's Tribune --

Deal in works to keep Lollapalooza in Grant Park through 2018

Deal may keep Lollapalooza in Chicago till '18

Information about noise in the neighborhood on NewEastside.org --

LakeShoreEastNOISE

From Richard Ward --

On Monday at 6:30 in the Daley Fieldhouse, you will be asked your opinion on extending the contract for Lollapalooza until 2018. We have recently asked GPAC to remind the Chicago Park District to pay attention to long-neglected maintenance problems in Grant Park. Photos of a few neglected examples are on our neighborhood webpage at GrantPark

--
Richard F. Ward, President, NEAR
155 N. Harbor Dr. #5101
Chicago, IL 60601
FAX & PH (312) 938-0884
www . New Eastside . ORG