tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17109381.post8556806146782202938..comments2019-10-01T09:38:04.994-05:00Comments on North Howard Neighbors Association: NOTIFICATION (NOT CONSULTATION) TO THE NoH NEIGHBORHOOD FROM THE ALDERMANUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17109381.post-46750707030550854252008-06-23T23:08:00.000-05:002008-06-23T23:08:00.000-05:00If Starbucks or Borders or a Whole Foods wanted to...If Starbucks or Borders or a Whole Foods wanted to move to Howard Street I am sure there would be a community meeting to gather input and make the proposer capitulate to the community and jump through a series of so many hoops they would move on to a neighborhood that actually wanted some jobs and places to shop. <BR/><BR/>But hijack a Chicago Park District Field house that had been promised to the community and it's a back room deal similar to out Mayor's preemptive strikes. How ironic that Joe was against the Children�s Museum in Grant Park. Maybe they should move that to the Gale Field house?<BR/><BR/>Seriously, why not have the Boy's and Girl's Clubs be a user of the facility like any other offering at the field house... Or better yet, why not have them invest their money and private funds in the community rather than using public funds to subsidize yet another non-profit in the neighborhood?<BR/><BR/>Don't get me wrong, I have said we needed a Boy's and Girl's Club in the neighborhood for the past 20 years. I taught middle school in Uptown in the early 70s and I know the kids used the center on Sheridan Road all the time. They are a great organization and lord knows we need all the help we can get given the lack of good urban planning north of Howard. <BR/><BR/>I would think Hartigan Park and Beach across the street from Dick Gregory would be an excellent location for the Boy's and Girl's Club... The kids would have a beach and a very nice, relatively gang and crime free environment. I'd contribute money to the building of that facility!<BR/><BR/>But I will be realistic. The powers that get decisions made North of Howard don't live there. Given that a new club wouldn't happen on that particular street of mansions, we should seriously question, in my opinion, this private public partnership. If it has my tax dollars supporting it, I would like to see the Park District controlling the management of the new center and allowing the Boy's and Girl's Club to have some of their programs run there for a fee; just like all the rest of the programs at the Park District.tom - kayaker, math tutor, swimmer, etc.https://www.blogger.com/profile/07756569617354565361noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17109381.post-55400119413345624592008-06-23T10:44:00.000-05:002008-06-23T10:44:00.000-05:00Before anything like this is finalized why not pre...Before anything like this is finalized why not present it to the residents of the area at a community meeting for their input? It looks to me like this is a done deal, once again, the decision having been made by 'carpetbaggers' and others from outside the NOH neighborhood. As I understand, not even the local NOH Parks Advisory Council was counsulted and brought into this discussion.mclhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07338064808259059215noreply@blogger.com