Protect Our Parks Action Update #9

Eric Frost · #1 (**permalink**) June 20th, 2008

Protect Our Parks Action Update #9
June 2008

We're inviting you to our second community meeting. We want to update you on our progress to keep Lincoln Park public and to restore the north field to a grassy meadow open to all.

REPORT TO THE COMMUNITY

PLEASE JOIN US ON THURSDAY,
JUNE 26 at 7:00pm
FIRST ST. PAUL'S EVANGELICAL
LUTHERAN CHURCH
Goethe Street at LaSalle

Please join Protect Our Parks at our next Community Meeting on Thursday, June 26 at 7pm. We'll be meeting at First St. Paul's Evangelical on Goethe (1301 North LaSalle Drive). You can print out a flyer for this meeting [click to download], copy it and distribute to your neighbors - this is especially important if you live in a high rise near the soccer facility construction site. Please let us know if you can do this.

We'll be giving you an update of our successful law suit to stop the privatization of Lincoln Park and halt the construction of the illegal soccer field in the North Meadow. We'll share the plans for the next steps to RETURN THE ILLEGAL CONSTRUCTION SITE TO A GRASSY MEADOW, OPEN TO ALL.

We'll hear from an environmental expert on the issues surrounding artificial turf and we'll learn about the alternatives to putting a soccer facility in the heart of Lincoln Park.

There will be ACTION KITS for all so you can pitch in right away! And there will be plenty of time for questions and conversation.

TAKE ACTION NOW

If you can't attend - you can still:

- donate online at www.protectourparks.org/donate - We are not done fighting and we still have legal bills to pay from the first round of court appearances!

- sign our NEW online petition at http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/Keep_Lincoln_Park_Green
- PLEASE SIGN THIS EVEN IF YOU SIGNED THE EARLIER PETITION. Please note some browsers will have toruble linking to the petition. If you get an error message at ipetitions, please copy and past the petition URL directly into your browser's address bar.

- call us to volunteer at 312-276-5165 or email us at info@cklpp.org

Remember, the Chicago Park District started this mess with a secret deal with the Latin School. They were chastised by the Cook County and Illinois Appellate Courts AND THEY STILL INSIST ON COMPLETING THIS ILLEGAL CONSTRUCTION PROJECT.

We need YOU to show up, speak out and participate in our organizing efforts in order to RESTORE THE MEADOW TO ITS ORIGINAL STATE. IT WAS AN OPEN MEADOW AVAILABLE TO ALL USERS BEFORE THE ILLEGAL CONSTRUCTION STARTED.

That's what the community wanted in 2002 when the same players proposed a sports facility for the same site. The arrogance of the Chicago Park District can only be answered by THE COMBINED VOICES OF CHICAGO CITIZENS.

Thanks for your interest and support! See you on June 26.

Your neighbors at POP.

www.protectourparks.org
info@cklpp.org
312-276-5165
Sign our NEW online petition at http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/Keep_Lincoln_Park_Green
*Please note some browsers will have trouble linking to the petition. If you get an error message at ipetitions, please copy and past the petition URL directly into your browser's address bar.

Recent comments from our online petition....

"In this time of green awareness, it is patently insane that the Park District is destroying the last open grass field in Lincoln Park to replace it with Astroturf. Yeah, we know this resulted from a sleazy deal with Latin School. But now that deal's been dissolved how does it make sense to continue with the destruction of the last open green space?" - L. Wilson

"The arenext to the lake should remain open green meadow -- please return it to that purpose." - J. Schroeder

"This illegal project does not affect me directly, but does indirectly as a taxpayer and resident of the City. If this public land in question can be effectively confiscated by the city, from taxpayers, for use of a select group of city residents, it can be done with any public property. This potential illegal precedent must be stopped. And this note is from the parent of a Latin School of Chicago graduate." - J. Perlman

"It is bad public policy to turn park land into athletic fields. Athletic fields are important, but they can be built on alternative sites. The Park District has the job of locating alternative sites so that they need not take over open park space. In this case, it is inexcusable to seek to impose a soccer field when the major beneficiaries would be the affluent who have the ability to find alternative or locations to play soccer. . Our scarce open spaces serve the rich and the poor. They serve nature and help the environment. It is well known that greenery benefits people's mental heath. The Park District has a limited budget. Park District money should be used on inner city athletic fields and on beautifying parkland in the inner city. The Park District should take the long view: comply with rules and regulations and preserve, do not build over, open space." - C. Adelman.

"This situation is a disgrace, please restore the land to it's original state. The deceitful method of trying obtain a soccer field for the children of the Latin School warrants no cooperation from residents of Chicago. That land is there for everyone to enjoy and all children to play on. What do those involved in the underhanded dealings think they are teaching those kids." - D. Irwin

"What was happening to the park was heartbreaking. Thanks for working magic." - L. Hertzberg

Click to add your voice and your comments!

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