Friends of the Parks

Friends of the Parks Opposes the Construction of a School in Rainbow Beach Park

Friends of the Parks, a citywide park advocacy organization, wholeheartedly supports a new Powell School in South Shore, but not on limited and protected lakefront parkland. The children of South Shore should have a state-of-the-art school built within the fabric of the neighborhood at a safer location west of South Shore Drive. The proposed plan violates the Lake Michigan and Chicago Lakefront Protection Ordinance which was enacted to prevent the alienation of public lakefront parkland.

The plan to construct a school east of South Shore Drive from 75th Street to 76th Street violates 10 of the 14 policies of the Lake Michigan and Chicago Lakefront Protection Ordinance including policies 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11 and 14 of the city’s Ordinance.

The Thunderbird Motel was acquired by the Park District when Walter Netsch was president of the Park District Board of Commissioners in the 1980’s. It was acquired precisely to fulfill the first policy of the Lakefront Protection Ordinance “complete the publicly owned lakefront”.  The land was further rezoned Park/Open Space (POS1) to protect it from development. The maps of the Lakefront Protection Ordinance continue to label the land in the “private zone” because the Ordinance has not been revised since its adoption in 1973.

The South Shore Community Area (#43) is underserved by park and recreational facilities.  As you can see by the attached map from the Park District’s Land Policy Plan, there is only one other neighborhood sized park, Rosenblum Park, other than Rainbow Beach Park to serve the residents of the South Shore Community. Sadly, Rosenblum Park was recently removed from public use for at least two years for the construction of a new South Shore High School. Thus, there are no after school park or recreational programs in the South Shore Community except for those at Rainbow Beach.

Without park sports, recreation and cultural programs other than those at Rainbow Beach, the increased incidence of crime is not surprising.  The Park District’s Land Policy Plan identified South Shore Community as having a SIGNIFICANT need for additional park facilities including 10 ball diamonds, 6 athletic fields, 3 swimming pools, 3 basketball backboard, 4 play areas and 3 gymnasiums.

South Shore should benefit from both a new school as well as the existing Rainbow Beach Park.  There are alternatives that would provide for both a new Powell School and maintain Rainbow Beach Park intact. One option includes constructing a new Powell School on the school’s existing parking lot and acquiring available land, if necessary, immediately to the west of the school.  Other alternatives include modernizing and adding a new addition to Powell School, acquiring St. Bride for a new school and/or modernizing Bradwell School.

The proposal before the Chicago Plan Commission violates 10 of the 14 policies of the Lake Michigan and Lakefront Protection Ordinance, and we urge you not to approve the plan.

Policy 1: Complete the publicly owned and locally controlled park system along the entire Chicago lakefront.
The plan removes 2.5 acres of land from the lakefront park system.  The school will completely block any view of Lake Michigan between 75th and 76th Streets.  This land was purchased by the city in the 1980’s to expand Rainbow Beach Park.

Policy 2: Maintain and enhance the predominantly landscaped, spacious and continuous character of the lakeshore parks.

The 2.5 acre site is currently landscaped, spacious and continuous to the lake’s edge.   A school will eliminate 2.5 acres of landscaped Rainbow Beach Park.

Policy 3: Continue to improve the water quality and ecological balance of Lake Michigan.
The school construction with the requisite asphalt/concrete parking lots will provide significant storm water runoff immediately adjacent to Lake Michigan.

Policy 4: Preserve the cultural, historical, and recreational heritage of the lakeshore parks.

Chicago’s cultural, historical, and recreation heritage is a legacy of 172 years begun in 1836 with the Sanitary Commissioners declaring the lakefront “forever open, free and clear”.   Our history has been of citizens and visionaries protecting Chicago’s Lake Michigan shoreline for public parks and recreation.  A school on Lake Michigan violates that heritage.

Policy 6: Increase the diversity of recreational opportunities while emphasizing lake-oriented leisure time activities.

An elementary school does not increase the recreational opportunities nor emphasize lake-oriented leisure time activities.  A school removes 2.5 acres of public recreation and open space from Rainbow Beach Park.

Policy 7: Protect and develop natural lakeshore park and water area for wildlife habitation.
A school east of South Shore Drive destroys the natural lakeshore park and habitat for wildlife.   More than 30 trees would be destroyed.

Policy 8: Increase personal safety.

The safety of small children is jeopardized by this plan.  Small children will have to cross U.S. 41, South Shore Drive, to go to school.  In 2008, CDOT reported 4 pedestrian deaths along US. 41. Two were on the Southside.  In addition, the school is proposed to be built 750 feet from Lake Michigan.  Curious children, as we read in the newspapers last month, wander into ponds, rivers and lakes, with resulting tragedy.

Policy 10: Ensure a harmonious relationship between the lakeshore parks and the community edge, but in no instance will further private development be permitted east of Lake Shore Drive.

While it is a public school, the intent of the ordinance is to prevent the construction of buildings in lakefront parks.

Policy 11: Improve access to the lakeshore parks and reduce through vehicular traffic on secondary park roads. The main north access to Rainbow Beach Park is at 75th Street and South Shore Drive.  The school will eliminate the public’s direct access to Rainbow Beach Park.
Policy 14: Coordinate all public and private development within the water, park, and community zones. There was no coordinated planning with the Board of Education and the community.  The community found out about the plan when those that lived within 250’ of the park received a written notice prior to the November 20th Plan Commission meeting