DO YOU LIVE WEST OF SHERIDAN ROAD?
LEARN HOW THE PROPOSED LANDFILL PARK ADVERSELY AFFECTS YOU.
BACKGROUND
Beginning late 2007, an outside organization, Friends of the Park (FOTP), has visited both the Rogers Park and the Edgewater neighborhoods. They have hosted a series of meetings to elicit design ideas from the communities for a new park to be created from Hollywood to Howard using landfill. (Here, we use the term “park” for the new park, bike path, and/or beach.)
FOTP is using a “divide and conquer” tactic in their efforts to secure approval of the new park. They met separately with Rogers Park and Edgewater even though both neighborhoods share the same lakefront. Why? Because in 2006 the residents of Rogers Park, living both East and West of Sheridan Road, in an election referendum, voted overwhelmingly against any landfill on the lake.
FOTP is now meeting separately with those Edgewater residents who live West of Sheridan Road and those who live on Sheridan Road. Why? Because they believe (erroneously) that Edgewater residents living West of Sheridan Road have different values and priorities than those residents living on Sheridan Road.
While it is true that the lakefront residents are affected directly by landfill directly abutting their property on the East, all Edgewater residents will be adversely affected by any new park.
A LANDFILL PARK AFFECTS EVERY EDGEWATER RESIDENT
Regardless of where we live in Edgewater, we drive the same streets, walk the same sidewalks, shop at the same stores, and attend the same churches and synagogues. The following problems affect each of us.
TAXES
A former engineer with the U.S. Army Corps of engineers estimates that it would cost a minimum of $400 million for the landfill from Hollywood to Howard. Since the distance is four miles, this comes to $100 million per mile, making this one of the world’s most expensive parks! At least 50% of the money would have to be provided by the Federal government. The balance would come from the State of Illinois or the City of Chicago. However, wherever the funds originate, our taxes will be higher, including sales tax, property tax, and income tax.
PARK MAINTENANCE
The four miles of landfill park will require a minimum of $1,000,000 per year for maintenance (plus additional police patrols, which come from the Chicago Police Department budget). Consider how the Chicago Park District is currently providing park maintenance in Edgewater. The park land at 6151 N. Sheridan has been undeveloped for many years. For how many years have we read the sign at Thorndale Beach, saying “Coming Soon, another new Playground.” Where the Ardmore walking path meets Lake Michigan at the rocks, there are over a dozen thistle plants which need to be uprooted. Currently, the Chicago Park District does not have the funding or manpower to develop and maintain its current properties. What can we expect from the Chicago Park District when they have an additional four miles of park to maintain?
PARKING
Our Edgewater community has no public parking lots. Although some condominiums along Sheridan Road offer public parking, it is limited and expensive. Most of the public entering Edgewater will first try park in our retailer’s parking lots, such as Dominick’s, Jewel, CVS, or Walgreen’s. They will also try to park in Temple Emanuel’s private parking lot. Failing to find space in these lots, the majority of them will park on the streets West of Sheridan Road.
The park goers who drive to Edgewater will not park for an hour or so and then leave. They are more likely to arrive late morning and leave in the evening, leaving less room for our residents who have no garage and rely on street parking, less room for our delivery people, and less room for our contractors. Also, consider whether your home security might be compromised by some park goers walking in our community late at night searching for their car.
IN SUMMARY
The “divide and conquer” approach assumes that those of us who live West of Sheridan Road have different values and priorities than those who live on Sheridan Road. Not true. If the landfill park is constructed, we will all be hurt by higher taxes, worse park maintenance, and congestion of our streets and parking lots by park goers entering our Edgewater community.