Welcome to the July 2017 J.P.A.C. Newsletter online
Monthly publication of the Jackson Park Advisory Council, recognized advisory body of the Chicago Park District.
>>>>View or print the print version (pdf), including the Front Page with vitae, web links, meeting agenda, and announcements.
Sections here:
June-September events calendar
(see updated in pdf) (updated
info on July 9 jazz at beach FLYER)
Abstraction of front page, plus updates and more.
June 10, 2017 MINUTES (announcements at top and end)
June-September events and workdays (view/print in pdf by itself)
Meetings on the park start-what was said- report commentary
Flyer for July 9 concert Jazz on the Beach
Official
website- jacksonparkadvisorycouncil.org.
FIND OUR CALENDAR THERE UNDER EVENTS
(jacksonparkadvisorycouncil.org/events)
Facebook- https://facebook.com/JacksonParkAdvisoryCouncil/
Both have lots of pictures!
From the website and Facebook visit our mobile app narrated tour of Jackson
Park- Jackson Park in Your Pocket
Get the Newsletters and other news announcements sent electronically - submit
email address to garyossewaarde@yahoo.com.
Archive of minutes and resolutions.
Archived
Newsletters
Join! (membership form) Time
to send in 2017 dues contributions. Print
and mail with check to JPAC c/o Dwight Powell, 7206 S. Luella, Chicago, IL 60649.
To links
How
to book a group workday, with contacts, regular schedule and a sample log.
Next
meeting MONDAY, JULY 10, 2017, 7 PM.
Working picnic at the IOWA Building, 56th and Everett/South Shore Dr.(following-
August 14)
Guests -tba- Police invited- park safety is on the
agenda.
Minutes & Finances
Reports and discussion including park coordinating committee and golf committee/updates/actions
Old & New bus including review and planning for the next year, , Announcements,
adjourn
_______
Addendum- public meetings on Obama Center and Golf and park framework
planning.
An additional introduction-listening meeting will be held on July 13
at South Shore Cultural Center.
Find surveys and posting walls at southlakefrontplan.com
and obama.org.
________________
JACKSON
PARK ADVISORY COUNCIL 34th YEAR! Founded 1983
J.P.A.C. NEWSLETTER JULY 2017, Vol. 24 No. 7
JPAC- PROTECTING NATURE, PRESERVING HISTORY, SUPPORTING RECREATION
Published by Jackson Park
Advisory Council, the recognized advisory body to the Chicago Park District,
Chicago Illinois.
JPAC's fiscal agent
is The Chicago Parks Foundation, a 501c3.
President is Louise McCurry, 773 844-2225, commissioner751@comcast.net.
Board- see the PDF version front page.
Other officers elected November 2016- VP Anne Marie Miles, Secretary Gary Ossewaarde,
Treasurer Dwight Powell.
Editor Gary
Ossewaarde, JPAC Secretary. Hosted by hydepark.org
(archive section Hyde Park Record) website of Hyde Park-Kenwood Community Conference
(owner) by Dot Easy.
The purpose of the JPAC is to provide a forum for …users of Jackson Park;
to advise and make recommendations to the Chicago Park District on park improvements
and programs (and create/ ensure programs); to encourage long-range planning;
promote community utilization and awareness of park and program and participation
in planning; and seek alternative funding sources.
Fieldhouse, Park
Supervisor Bobbie Beckam, 773 256-0903. Region Manager Maya Solis, 312 747-7661.
Area Manager Farah Tunks, 773 324-0540.
Parks Security- Lakefront - Thomas
Snooks
____________________________________________
Council meeting, JULY 10 at 7 pm. IOWA building,
56th and Everett/South Shore Drive.
Normal agenda items plus guests, reports and business, park/JPAC review
and planning. Also on the agenda is park security and safety, with invited guests.
Next at fieldhouse, August 14, 7 pm.
Note July 13 meeting on park framework, golf, Obama Center 6 pm at South Shore Cultural Center. Be aware there will be a Grant Park Festival Chorus perf. there same time.
Events,
workdays et al- See upcoming in the body of the Newsletter, below.
(Thanks to those who helped with the LaRabida mulching, wheelchair trails, cleanup
and more June 17). Wooded Island workday IS MOVED TO JULY 29.
Bobolink Meadow July 8, August 12 9 am-12 pm.
WEBSITE & calendar http://www.jacksonparkadvisorycouncil.org .../events for calendar
FACEBOOK (please “like” us). https://facebook.com/JacksonParkAdvisoryCouncil/
JACKSON PARK IN YOUR POCKET app- http://vamonde.com, set password, find or type in Jackson Park in Your Pocket.
This issue- Newsletter: http://www.hydepark.org/parks/jpac/newsletters/July 2017nl.htm. (You are here)
Alt. home, http://www.hydepark.org/parks/jpac.html and
Index to all other Jackson Park pages in hydepark.org www.hydepark.org/parks/jpac
Index to all Newsletters going several years back www.hydepark.org/parks/jpac/newsletters
Keep current + news details: http://www.hydepark.org/parks/jpac/jpnewsbuls.htm
Archive of minutes and resolutions- www.hydepark.org/parks/jpac/minandresolu.htm
Current Bylaws- JPACFINAL JPAC_bylaws_rev_Draft_8b_rmh[1] W AMEND MAY 2014, MAR 2015, JUL 2016-clear.pdf
ACE Wooded I- news and links- www.hydepark.org/parks/jpac/ace2014.htm
Obama Library site- www.barackobamafoundation.org incl. sign up for e-updates,
go.obama.org, go.obama.org/hometown. mstrautmanis@go.obama.org
JPAC’s Obama Library page www.hydepark.org/parks/jpac/ObamaPLibrary.htm
Project 120 sites: www.Project120Chicago.org, www.gardenofthephoenix.org
SKYLANDING by Yoko Ono www.skylanding.com
Golf proposal: chicagoparksgolfalliance.org, bhogan@chicgoparksgolfalliance.org
JPAC's golf proposal tracking page- www.hydepark.org/parks/jpac/golf.htm
BOBOLINK website-http://bluestem.info/bobolink/
Friends of the White City-http://www.friendsofthewhitecity.org
Jackson Park Watch citizen group- www.jacksonparkwatch.org
Friends of the Parks- www.fotp.org
Chicago Park District- www.chicagoparkdistrict.com
Chicago Parks Foundation- www.chicagoparksfoundation.org
Sections here:
June-September events calendar
(see updated in pdf) (updated
info on July 9 jazz at beach FLYER)
Abstraction of front page, plus updates and more (above, except for what is just below ahead of minutes)
May 8, 2017 MINUTES (announcements at top and end)
June-September events and workdays (view/print in pdf by itself)
Meetings on the park start-what was said- report commentary
Flyer for July 9 concert Jazz on the Beach
Notice: Special public meetings regarding proposed projects, general
coordination and framework planning, and golf, OPC, and road
plans with updates and public input on park future.
Because of a serious lack of seating for the June 27 meeting, another Stage
1 has been scheduled for July 13, Thursday, 6 pm at South Shore Cultural
Center. Be
aware there will be a Grant Park Festival Chorus perf. there same time.
Visit our Obama Presidential Center
page for the Foundation's take on the meetings.
Friends of the Parks has published in their newsleter a list to links to media
reports and opinion- visit fotp.org for
link.
SURVEYS AND POSTING WALLS ARE AVAILABLE AT southlakefrontplan.com,
www.southlakefrontplan.com/join-conversation-posting-comments-idea-wall,
obama.org and https://go.obama.org/landscape-survey/
Visit also chicagoparksgolfalliance.org
and JPAC's pages on Golf and the Obama
Presidential Center (which has their takes on the meetings and feedback)-
see in links, above.
JPAC’s July
meeting (10th, 7 pm) will be its annual planning picnic at the Iowa building.
Women- bring main dishes, men salads or desserts. Police are invited- park safety/security
is on the agenda.
We suggest bringing a chair and suggest that those bringing a dish to share
arrive early for set up.
MINUTES OF THE JUNE 12 2017 JPAC MONTHLY COUNCIL MEETING
Louise McCurry opened the
meeting at 7 p.m. in the fieldhouse. A quorum was present. New attendees and
guests introduced themselves.
Minutes of the May meeting - with a clarification, the minutes were moved by
Jerry Levy, 2nded and approved.
McCurry reported for treasurer Dwight Powell that we have about $4,000 in the
account after purchasing large fans for the fieldhouse at $1107.
Reports and guests
Adaptive Golf. Larry Labiak and associate described the park
district mission that parks be accessible to persons of all abilities, including
wounded veterans and survivors of gunshot wounds. Larry is the first department-level
manager of programs for such persons. They work extensively with the Ryan Rehabilitation
Institute and the Ability Lab and are seeking a place participants can go for
mentoring. Several sports now have competitive teams and leagues in the parks
for persons with special abilities and needs, including with wheelchairs, and
is continually expanding to new sports. This includes a veterans golf camp in
conjunction with the Ability Lab. For golf, they have accessible golf carts.
They practice at Jackson Park and Diversey Driving Ranges Mondays and Wednesdays.
A tournament will be held September 15, Friday, 1 p.m. in Jackson
Park. There will be 24 golfers; visitors are encouraged. Volunteers are needed
to attend a planning meeting (several volunteered, for information on this or
for registration information on the event, contact larry.labiak@chicagoparkdistrict.com.
Golf and park coordinating committees. Jerry Levy, chair, said
the committees will meet again after the public meetings presenting the engineering
and design reports and proposed golf layouts. Alderman Hairston’s golf
and park advisory council toured the parks last Thursday. The Alderman spoke
of infrastructure and shoreline needs for park and community that should in
any case be addressed. CPD Superintendent and CEO Mike Kelly assured that the
parks are being evaluated in their entirety, potential plans being coordinated,
and public input process being set up leading to comprehensive park plans. He
emphasized that the Obama and golf proposals are turning points in really discussing,
looking at these parks. Committee members gave feedback.
Program and fieldhouse.
Supervisor Bobbie Beckam said that summer camp will have at least 160, more
than in recent years. New opportunities will include pickleball for kids and
seniors in the fall, including in courts by the fieldhouse and in the gym. He
was asked to look into developing a regular adaptive golf program here.
Area Manager Farah Tunks called attention to new welcoming flower box plantings
and rose bushes at the fieldhouse. The memorial bench will be dedicated at 67th
and Ridgeland June 17, noon. She also encouraged people to attend and promote
the many Night Out in the Parks and other events in Jackson this summer, fall.
History tours. Ray Johnson talked about the Jackson Park history
and Columbian Exposition tours he (and occasionally others) leads every Saturday
through October at 11 a.m. from the east side of the Darrow Bridge
(south of the MSI basin) at the parking lot. Numbers vary to quite large and
can last up to two hours, depending on participants’ interests and stamina.
They are free. Specials can also be arranged, contact friendsofthewhitecity@gmail.org.
They have a website. Suggested was a box for flyers.
McCurry showed impressive poster panels by George Rumsey that will be installed
on our “history wall.”
Safety.
JPAC will have a golf cart drive through of the park, including of back areas
with Bobbie and Farah Friday to examine and evaluate safety, security, graffiti
and repair issues and places. McCurry said JPAC continues to work with very
cooperative 3rd District police and park security regarding problem places.
The 63rd Street Drummers groups, who drum 7 days a week east of the beach parking
lot, asked better marshalling of trash cans and delineation of fire lanes in
the lot so people won’t miss-park and get tickets.
63rd Street Beach was cleaned by JPAC members, teachers and students from Muchin
College Prep, and Miss Great Lakes, from Indiana, who is competing in a national
water environmental NGO’s competition. The beach sweep was assisted by
Alliance for the Great Lakes. McCurry asked appreciation for the many large
groups from colleges, businesses and service groups from Chicagoland volunteering
this spring and summer in Jackson Park. The next will be June 17 It’s
Your Park Day in Jackson and the Midway inter alia. Missionaries from the local
congregation of Church of Jesus Christ Latter Day Saints offered to organize
work groups.
New business. Jerry Levy expressed concern and queried whether
JPAC should discuss an implication he saw in Preservation Chicago’s position
(article and letter in the May 31 Hyde Park Herald) that the Obama complex be
repositioned in the park to 6300 block of Stony Island, that this would eliminate
the fieldhouse or downscale a replacement. Margaret Schmid said this was a misconstruction
of the position. Consideration was deferred pending request to take a closer
look at the position. [Ed.: The fieldhouse is not mentioned in the letter’s
paragraph listing the “existing and underutilized” facilities in
that block now, but in a following paragraph describing what the complex could
include as a community center, “and include a fieldhouse” is stated.]
July 9 afternoon,
On the Beach: Remastered- concert at 63rd St. in the beach house to
honor 50th anniversary of Phil Cohran’s (inter alia co-founder of AACM)
pioneering jazz series there. [Ed.- Cochran since passed June 28 aged 90- the
concert will celebrate his life and career.] Dr. Carol C. Adams introduced the
coming event. JPACers will use the occasion also to reflect on the life of its
former president Eric Hatchett, who was inter alia sparked the restoration of
the bathing pavilion- a plaque has recently been placed naming the upper stories
for him—and the Schiff Legacy that funded the interactive play fountain
and the serenity garden.
Among the many events offered this summer in the park [see attached schedule]
is a series of storytimes with Music for all Ages Tuesday evenings in
August at the 67th/Ridgeland playlot. Members of The Lucky Trikes described
their program, which has been in 2 other parks this season. For these and other
events visit the park district or www.nightoutintheparks.com
website.
Robin Kaufman asked that we continue to be vigilant about private and outside
groups wanting to use or locate in parks, citing recent Friends of the Parks
Conference sessions attendees from several parks about problems.
Moved to adjourn. Next meeting is expected to be the annual planning picnic
at the Iowa Building.
________Gary M. Ossewaarde, Secretary ________________________________________
It’s Your Park Day June 17 at LaRabida shores was a smash success- wheelchair paths, trash, pruning by Scouts 590, Roosevelt students from around the world. Thanks all and to CPD and Chicago Parks Foundation.
There may be a new concession
at 63rd St. beach this summer with a beer & wine taverna and water sport.
This was presented at the last ward meeting and had not received its approval
as of this writing.
JPAC is a proud cosponsor (along with Joyce Foundation, AACM, and Chicago Park
Disttrict of the July 9 commemorative of Jazz on the Beach and celebration of
the life and career of just-deceased Phil Cochran. (see minutes and the calendar
and flyer following.) This is also an opportunity for JPACers to remember former
president Eric Hatchett, for whom the beach house balconies are named and the
Schiff Legacy fountain.
We are also proud the park will host September 15 an adaptive golf tournament
for persons with other abilities.
Jackson Park Yacht Club youth Sailing Program is under way. These are two-week classes through September 1 taught by experts using small sailing "bugs". Students must meet minimum swimming standards. Visit jacksonparkyachtclub.org or call 773 684-5522.
JUNE / SEPT 2017
EVENTS AND WORK OPPORTUNITIES IN JACKSON PARK
_Saturdays, 11 am. WHITE CITY free TOURS of history, nature and the Columbian
Exposition of 1893 footprint. Meet at the east side of Darrow Bridge (end of
the parking accessed from LSD 58th Science Dr. pkg.) Lightning excepted. Ray
Johnson, friendsofthewhitecity@gmail.com.
special tours available- above email or commissioner752@comcast.net.
_LAKESIDE LAWN BOWLING, southeast of the Museum of Science and Industry. For
schedule visit www.lakesidelawnbowling.webs.com.
CROQUET ALSO.
_July 8, Saturday, 9 am-12 pm. BOBLINK MEADOW WORKDAY. Meet at the south end,
by Golf Driving Range parking (off Hayes) parrybell@ameritech.net.
www.bluestem.info/bobolink.
2nd Saturdays recurring.
_July 9, Sunday, 12-6 pm. ON THE BEACH: REMASTERED. CONCERT CELEBRATING TE 50TH
ANNIVERSARY OF KELAN PHIL COCHRAN'S ICONIC SERIES AND HIS 90TH BIRTHDAY. (JPAC
will be honoring the upper story naming and plaque for Eric Hatchett and also
the Schiff Legacy interactive fountain and serenity garden.) In 63rd Beach House
east courtyard. FREE and unticketed. No food or alcohol allowed, water provided,
food vendors on the beach. Flyer.
_July 10, Monday, 7 pm. MONTHLY JPAC OPEN COUNCIL PICNIC & Planning meeting-
Iowa building on 56th St. between Everett and South Shore Drive. 2nd Mondays
(returns to fieldhouse August 14).
_July 13, Thursday, 1 pm tee off. GOLF CLASSIC in Jackson Park. Raise funds
for Chicago Parks Foundation. Contact www.chicagoparksfoundation.org.
5 pm. afterparty.
_July 13, Thursday, 6 pm. Final phase I introduction of and input on park framework plan, golf, Obama Center, and roads/circulation. South Shore Cultural Center, 7059 South Shore Drive. Be aware there will be a Grant Park Festival Chorus perf. there same time.
_July 19, Wednesday, 11
am-2 pm. Senior Day at the Harbor (Museum Shores Yacht Club). Info, reg., transport
call 5th Ward Office, 773 324-5555.
_July 29 (moved), Saturday, 10 am-1 pm. WOODED ISLAND WORKDAY. South entrance.
sjlevy@jeromelevylaw.com. Usually
4th Saturdays recurring..
_August 21, Monday, 12-3 pm. Eclipse of the sun (near total)- there may be a
viewing party at 63rd Beach. Checking July vs Aug.
_August 27, Sunday, 11
am-4 pm. 5th Ward Back to School Picnic. 63rd St. Beach.
_September 15, Friday, 1 pm. ADAPTIVE GOLF tournament. Volunteers will be needed,
and all are welcome. Info larry.labiak@chicagoparkdistrict.com.
_September 16, Saturday, time & location tba. Adopt A Beach (R) beach sweep.
Night Out in the Parks Here are Jackson Park events in this
citywide program- some details are not yet worked out. Check out South Sh &
Midway online—and their movie and concert schedule is being completed.
Full schedule in www.chicagoparkdistrict.com
or Chicago Park District’s My Chi Parks app. or nightoutintheparks.com.
_August 4, Friday, 6-8 pm. BOTANIZING from a BOAT with lagoon restoration project
manager Lauren Umek. (Register with Night Out in the Parks—can arrange
to bring your own canoe.) Meet at east side of Darrow Bridge.
_August 8, 15, 22, and 29 Tuesdays, 6-7:30 pm. STORYTIMES W MUSIC at the 67th/Ridgeland
Playlot (3 blks E. of Stony I.). Deidre Harrison of The Lucky Tykes and audience
improvise performance or from beloved books. Visit https://facebook.com/luckytrikes/?ref+bookmarks.
Note- rain location is the fieldhouse.
_August 10, Thursday, 6-9 pm. SUMMER DANCE comes to JP fieldhouse, 6401 S. Stony
I. Learn, show off your moves.
_Sept. 1, Friday, 6-7:30 pm. INFERNO MOVEMENTS + Flux Bikes present a participatory
soundscape at 63rd St. Beach. Build a one-of-a-kind experience.
_Sept. 15, Friday, 16 Saturday, and 17, Sunday, 6-7:30 pm. HEJLA YATKIN leads
DANCE IN THE GARDEN OF THE PHOENIX on Wooded Island. Help create a one-of-a-kind
experience.
Meetings started on JP Framework Plan, Obama Center,
Golf Course, roads and infrastructure
[This commentary reflects views of its author, Gary Ossewaarde, and not necessarily
the Advisory Council]
WHERE TO READ MORE, POST COMMENTS OR TAKE SURVEYS.
www.southlakefrontplan.com,
www.southlakefrontplan.com/join-conversation-posting-comments-idea-wall.
www.obama.org.
https://go.obama.org/landscape-survey/
www.chicagoparksgolfalliance.org.
About 600 attended
the first of this first set of public meetings at South Shore Cultural Center,
150-200 at that at Hyde Park High School, and a large crowd was turned away
from the small venue (75 seats) for the 5th Ward meeting June 27. The meetings
started with 15 minute presentations on each of the four subjects by the Park
District, Chicago Parks Golf Alliance, Obama Foundation, and Chicago Department
of Transportation, with Smith Group/JJR engineering giving parts of the presentation
and moderating. These gave background, vision and objectives, general plans,
ways the park would change under each, and timelines. Renderings were either
preliminary and conceptual or else mostly large scale rather than detailed.
The Obama Center, being the smallest site and somewhat further along in design
gave the best sense of the envisioned spaces and programming. Engineering studies
are just coming in for golf and for roads and circulation along with the first
Tiger Woods firm layout proposal for the golf course. It was evident that coordination
has just started, in part because major decisions such as on roadway closures
or remakes and who would fund underpasses and shoreline work have not yet been
made. In addition, the main projects have expanded although they affirmed each
is within its acreage footprints and every displaced feature will have 1 for
1 replacement (although for sports there will be a demand study, with some space
possibly being outside this park –it is asserted there is not room enough
for both all existing and all new things.) (Also, the Park District is mapping,
assessing the state of, and costing every feature in the park.) There seemed
to be different timelines, with the Obama Center to go before the Chicago Plan
Commission as early as November. The golf planning is ongoing and driven by
funds raised and desire for a tournament in 2021. The Framework Plan revision
is supposed to put out for comment and meetings later in the summer, with process
to be wrapped up by the end of the year—perhaps after major projects have
received approval and possibly not giving enough time to be well thought out
and as reflective as possible of community consensus and felt park needs. Nor
has it been shown that much thought has been given yet to what features and
activities should be in Jackson and what in other nearby parks.
The presentations were followed at the first two by breakouts with a mostly-digital
survey interspersed with periods for comments and questions. Few questions were
answered except where there was felt to be a clear misunderstanding, in part
because they said a deliberate decision was made to listen before preparing
working versions, and in part because there is as yet insufficient information
or no decisions. There were comments and strong opinions pro and con on plans
in part or in whole.
So, beyond those or informational matters ,and assuming the major projects move
forward,
What were some of the flashpoints that need to be given persuasive justification
or addressed?
--The road closures, especially Cornell between 59th and 63rd Hayes and Midway
EB Stony to Cornell and whether shifting to LSD and Hayes will make new problems
and what might ameliorate that
--Sports field replacement /placement/how many (new track and field was shown
south of the Obama Center)
--Fieldhouse future and site
--How much outdoor programming at the Center and its impact west and to nature
areas as well as its incorporation of the present Perennial Garden site
--Golf – can it truly stay affordable and serve the spectrum of users
including local and stay sustainable and how much the site can be accessed by
the general public
--Decision not to move the Driving Range but expand it at cost to tennis courts
and dog friendly area and and need for a guarantee not to diminish or impact
Bobolink nature area; golf facility encroachment on courts etc on the west side
--Making the golf perimeter and fencing better and more inviting but not putting
off communities
--Golf - amount of tree turnover and guarantee of biodiversity and environmental
responsibility and gain.
--By far the major issue for South Shore was moving/reconfiguration and full
replacement of the nature area.
--Impacts in the neighborhoods
JPAC’s golf committee and the Alderman’s council will assess studies and drawings now in hand.
Appended (to
view): flyer
for the July 9 concert Jazz on the Beach.
###