Keep Lincoln Park Public

To:  Chicago Park District

We are a group of neighbors opposed to the privatization of Lincoln Park. We object to a secret deal made between the Chicago Park District and the Latin School of Chicago to build a soccer field in Lincoln Park near the bridge that spans Lake Shore Drive to North Avenue Beach.

This field is being partially paid for by the Latin School which is to be granted the majority of kid-friendly, prime-time hours. The Latin School has also been given rights to sell sponsorships for this facility and to display marketing materials for sponsors, including logos.

We are not necessarily opposed to kids playing soccer or even the idea of a soccer field being built in the park. We are opposed to the closed door manner in which this deal was made and the fact that the tax-paying public will be shut out from this part of the park for ten years and perhaps longer.

We are opposed to a private, very wealthy institution getting exclusive access for the majority of time that public school teams and after-school groups would be wanting to use such a field.

We call on the Park District to void this contract or to re-negotiate it so as all citizens of Chicago have full and equal access to any proposed facility in Lincoln Park.

Sincerely,

The Undersigned

The Keep Lincoln Park Public Petition to Chicago Park District was created by and written by Tom Tresser (tom@tresser.com).  This petition is hosted here at www.PetitionOnline.com as a public service. There is no endorsement of this petition, express or implied, by Artifice, Inc. or our sponsors. For technical support please use our simple Petition Help form.