https://chicago.suntimes.com/chicago...tzker-madigan/
Battle brewing over future of North Branch of the Chicago River
Stefano Esposito and Fran Spielman
Quote:
Here’s one vision for a stretch of the aging industrial corridor along the North Branch of the Chicago River: A wide-open public park teeming with native grasses, wildlife and people enjoying the outdoors.
Here’s another: An urban “wall” of high rises along the river, with little pockets and slivers of green space.
At least that’s how two North Side aldermen and their allies see the battle that’s brewing over the future of the North Branch, which is expected to see enormous growth.
“What we’re concerned about is that the public will lose access,” Ald. Michele Smith (43rd) told the Chicago Sun-Times Editorial Board Thursday. “Who wanted to stop Grant Park 100 years ago? There were people short-sighted enough to think that we shouldn’t have that public park. We had some brave people with vision who filed lawsuits in order to defend that.”
|
I'll say that Smith was a total pain in the ass last year when the North Branch Plan was at Plan Commission, even though only a smidgen of her ward lies within the district. She was only of the only no votes at city council.