IN CHICAGO, Groups Debate Completely "Free and Open" Lakefront from Indiana to Evanston!
PROPOSAL WOULD MAKE ESTIMATED FOUR MILES OF PRIVATE LAKEFRONT LAND PUBLIC DOMAIN!
The Lake Michigan Lakefront! Those of us living in Chicago sometimes take it for granted.
The expansive beaches. The lovely parks. Magnificent harbors.
Unlike in many U.S. Cities, large and small, virtually all of the Lake Michigan Lakefront in Chicago is public land - accessible to anyone, visitor or local. It's 26 miles long, stretching from the IL - IN border on the south and east, to the Chicago Suburb of Evanston IL on the north.
Public land, with magnificent parks, beaches and harbors - on all but four miles of the Chicago Lakefront. The remaining land, covering stretches of the lakefront along the Rogers Park and Edgewater Neighborhoods on the North Side, as well as the South Shore and East Side Neighborhoods on the South Side, is owned by neighboring high rise buildings, and, on the South Side, the unsightly buildings and wharves of the Port of Chicago.
According to a Chicago Sun-Times story by Lisa Donovan, however, if the Chicago-based Friends of the Parks and other groups get their way, the entire Chicago Lakefront would be public, and enhanced with walking trails and bike paths for its entire length. The estimated cost of the groups plans - possibly as high as $450 Million, with hoped-for money coming from the Federal Stimulus Program.
However, the chances for approval are far less than certain. As you might imagine, resistance is high among residents of the affected high rise condo buildings. But, according to Mike Truppa, a spokesperson for Friends of the Parks, he senses sentiments among other city residents fall in their favor.
The idea of a completely public lakefront in Chicago has been debated here for a long time - even before the concerns who own the lakefront existed. Will things soon change, however?
We'll have to see!
DEAN MOSS & DEAN'S TEAM CHICAGO
