From Save Grant Park --

Dear Supporters,

Save Grant Park will be honored by The Independent Voters of
Illinois-Independent Precinct Organization (IVO-IPO) as the
recipient of their 2009 Harold Washington Award in recognition of
our grassroots organizing to protect Grant Park. The award will be
presented at their 65th Annual Independents' Day celebration on
June 20, with Governor Pat Quinn as the keynote speaker. We're
delighted to have the support and recognition of IVI-IPO, an
important voice in Chicago politics.

The grassroots fight to protect Grant Park continues. The
Chicago Children's Museum announced in 2006 that it expected to break
ground on a new museum building in Grant Park in early 2007. Save
Grant Park has organized the community and pushed back those plans
for years already and we're still fighting for more permanent
protections. We're in the courts now, and we're prepared to stay
with it.

Here's the latest: Two suits are currently underway. The first
lawsuit calls for a review of the Chicago Plan Commission's decision
and the entire process of the Museum's application to the Plan
Commission. The City of Chicago and Chicago Children's Museum tried
to get this suit thrown out on the grounds that no set of facts we
could present would result in the remedy that the plaintiffs sought -
to require Chicago Children's Museum (CCM) to go back to the drawing
board. The judge disagreed, an important victory for Save Grant
Park. The hearing was initially scheduled for March 31, but was
later postponed by the judge, with a new hearing date set for
Tuesday, May 12th. The second suit asks the court to take a fresh
look at the entire process of the Museum's application including the
Plan Commission, Zoning Committee and the City Council. Arguments in
this suit were heard on April 9, and the judge is scheduled to render
an opinion this Thursday, May 7th.

Regardless of the decisions in these suits, Save Grant Park is in for
as long as it takes to protect the park. If the judges decide in our
favor, we expect the opposition to appeal the decision. If the
judges do not decide in our favor, Save Grant Park will lead appeals.
How are we getting this done? Mostly with the efforts of volunteers
who have now invested thousands of unpaid hours informing and
organizing the community. Save Grant Park has no paid staff, no rent, no utility bills.

Save Grant Park's attorneys have poured their time into our cause.
They have asked us for only enough money to cover administrative
costs which cover their expenses such as support staff, rent and
other office necessities. These administrative costs are the only
significant costs that we have for the time being.

Please support Save Grant Park by donating online at www.savegrantpark.org or by mailing your check made out to "Save Grant Park" directly to our bank:

5th/3rd Bank
400 E. South Water Street
Chicago, IL 60601
Attn: Save Grant Park

Regards,
Peggy Figiel
Save Grant Park

P.S. Every dollar will help!