Wildflowers wrecked by city's arrogance

The latest from the Trib's Voice of the People;

This was truly a loss to the city, perhaps not as spectacular as the raid on Meigs Field or the planned land grab on the park by the children's museum, but a loss nonetheless. And, just like Meigs Field, the real losers are the taxpayers.__Once again, the taxpayers will have to pay for the mayor's arrogance and disregard for the views -- and rights -- of others."

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/letters/chi-1014ledeletteroct14,0,5792783.story

Here's the original editorial:

A weedy masterpiece -- chicagotribune.com (http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/editorials/chi-1007edit2oct07,0,941926.story)

What is going to happen to this area with the Monroe East garage reconstruction?

Eric

Some more background information on this --

Judge: Garden was art :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Metro & Tri-State (http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/576718,CST-NWS-wildflowers27.article)

"Wildflower Works -- some 66,000 square feet of plants -- was created by Kelley in 1984. In 2004, the Park District reduced the garden by half, saying more room was needed after the BP Bridge linked Daley Bi with Millennium Park. "

"Kelley argued he was informed only a few days before the work began, which gave him insufficient time to mount a legal fight or remove the plants. "

"Kelley, who paid for the garden and owned the plants, testified that his work was a painting when in full bloom during the summer and a sculpture in the winter. "

"Some of the wildflowers still bloom, but Kelley will not visit the reduced version of Wildflower Works. "


In some measure this was the beginning of the Mayor's legacy to continue paving the rest of Grant Park out from Millenium Park... now we start to see the next phase of plans. :-(