Vote Yes On Illinois Bills To Add Park Land
Apr 13th, 2010 by andreaharris
If you live in Illinois and want to do something in support of Earth Day, I suggest contacting your state legislators and asking them to vote yes on Illinois Senate Bills 3778 and 3779, which will add 40 and 100 acres respectively, to Chicago’s parks.
Both pieces of land are now publicly owned by Illinois International Port District, but are no longer being used by that entity. The bills seek a no-cost transfer of ownership to the Chicago Park District for conservation and recreational purposes.
The 40 acre tract, on the eastern shore of Lake Calumet, was approved in the Illinois Senate in March with SB3778, and now is in the House.
Erma Tranter, Director of Friends of the Parks (FOTP), is a strong advocate in favor of turning over the land to the Park District. Because of her tireless environmental concerns, she is also one of the heroes I chose to paint for my “Eco Heroes Facing the Earth” Cool Globe.
Tranter, Director of Friends of the Parks (FOTP), would like to see Chicago’s lakeshore become an unbroken stretch from Indiana to Evanston.
In 2009 FOTP introduced their Four Mile Plan, a long-term project to build public pathways where lakefront access now is blocked. Their video, “The Last Four Miles: Completing the Lakefront Park System”, is narrated by Bill Kurtis and features Chicagoans who want a more open lakefront.
One area closed to the public is the 100 acres at issue in SB3779. This land is on the far South Side, directly north of Calumet Park and along Lake Michigan.
If the Park District acquires it, the 100 acres will open up another part of Chicago’s lakefront. A place that is now fenced off and unused can become beautiful, green and there for all to enjoy.
So, I urge you to send your representatives a note to approve these two important bills. To find out who your representatives are, enter your address here. And to get their contact information, look here.
Also, many thanks to Friends of the Parks for their work for Chicago and the environment. They have helped keep public park spaces from becoming privatized, cleaned and helped renovate parks, made conditions safer in children’s playgrounds, sponsored the Late Ride, planted trees and much more.
For Earth Day, FOTP is sponsoring a 5K Run/Walk, besides park and forest preserve cleanups.
More about SB3778 and SB3779 is here.
See also “The lakefront Final Four “, April 2, 2010 article in the Chicago Tribune.
Besides the “Eco Heroes Facing the Earth” Cool Globe, shown above, I also collaborated with artists Sandie Bacon & Ann Bingham-Freeman to create the “Preserve Our Rainforests” Cool Globe, scheduled to be on view in Marseilles, France from June 8 to October 8, 2010.