Children’s Museum plans go to City boards; fate could be decided this month
By Marie Balice Ward
The Chicago Children’s Museum's proposed new home at Daley Bicentennial Plaza in Grant Park continues to draw fire from local groups and individuals while being defended by the City and the Grant Park Advisory Council and Grant Park Conservancy. Museum representatives will present their plans to the Chicago Plan Commission this month, then or perhaps simultaneously to the Zoning Committee, and then to the City Council.
“The issue here is really about legal precedent,” said Peggy Fiegiel, a cofounder of the Save Grant Park organization, “It is not about the merits of the Children’s Museum.”
She cited A. Montgomery Ward’s “21 year legal battle to protect Grant Park. Four Illinois Supreme Court decisions have made it clear that Grant Park is specially protected open space. In 1909 the court ruled that the Field Museum could not be built in Grant Park. It was moved south of Roosevelt where there were no special protections and hence the creation of the museum campus, a much more suitable location for the Children's Museum.”
Ernesto Arteta, who also lives in the area, echoed the “precedent “ issue, adding that he and his wife have two young children and frequently attend the Children’s Museum at Navy Pier. “It would be easier for me" for the Children’s Museum to be located in Grant Park near his home, he said. "However it would not be fair to take a chunk of land from others and place a facility that does not have free admission.” Arteta also noted the Art Institute, which is located in Grant Park, is expanding and soon will occupy an entire block.
Bob O’Neill, president of the Grant Park Advisory Council and Grant Park Conservancy, said, “I see both sides of this situation, and, yes, there is some compromise.” He explained that “a glass atrium would be visible on Randolph St. The atrium would serve as an entrance and allow natural light into the museum. The majority of this proposed 100,000 square foot Children’s Museum will be below street level, occupy an existing structure, and provide a new $15 million field house that would otherwise be paid for with Park District funds."
He added that restoring the Millennium Park garage will require removing a large section of the park, "therefore making the timing perfect for the Children’s Museum to move to this location.” O’Neill also noted a children’s discovery garden would be part of the new Children’s Museum site.
Friends of Downtown’s website (www.friendsofdowntown.org) includes letters the organization sent to the Children’s Museum and Mayor Richard M. Daley about the proposed Grant Park site. “We have been opposed to it since 2006," said Tom Wolf, the group’s president. "Adding another building to Grant Park would be a tipping point and certainly not in agreement with the spirit of what Montgomery Ward tried to preserve. We believe that the Children’s Museum would be very successful elsewhere.”
Erma Tranter of Friends of the Park said, “The Lake Michigan and Lakefront Protection Ordinance and the Montgomery Ward court decisions do not allow any above ground structures in Grant Park. The Children’s Museum would have 3,800 square feet on Randolph St. Friends of the Park is opposed to their relocation to the Daley Bicentennial Plaza.”
New Eastside Association of Residents president Richard Ward said, “Dozens of worthy projects have been proposed in the history of Chicago, and none have survived a challenge based on the ‘dedication restrictive covenants.’ The two apparent exceptions are actually not exceptions because neither the Art Institute nor the Pritzker/Harris building were challenged based on the covenants that have protected the land since 1836.”
Alderman Brendan O’Reilly of the 42nd Ward declared his opposition to the Children’s Museum plan to relocate to Daley Bicentennial Plaza in fall 2007, and he remains opposed to it.
No additional public meetings about the Children’s Museum’s plan for Daley Bicentennial Park are planned, but the Grant Park Advisory Council and Grant Park Conservancy would be willing to hold another meeting on this issue, O'Neill said.
For more information, log on to www.grantparkconservancy.com , www.neweastside.org , www.fotp.org , www.friendsofdowntown.org , and www.savegrantpark.com.
