Friends of the Parks

What is the City of Chicago’s Aldermanic Menu Fund? What park needs can your alderman address?

Your alderman controls $1.3 million that are earmarked to go to neighborhood public works projects through a program called the “Aldermanic Menu” Program. Since 1994, each member of the City Council receives $1.3 million annually to spend at his or her discretion on alleys, residential streets, street paving, curbs, speed-bumps, sidewalks, lightings, security cameras, curb-gutters, traffic signals and park related-improvements.

Local aldermen should base his or her decision on the community’s most pressing needs as voiced by area residents. As a park advocate, you should let your alderman know of your specific park needs.  You should make your request as early as possible.

The Aldermanic Menu Program has the potential to be an effective way of delivering public works dollars to most pressing local infrastructure needs. If individual City Council members make full and fair use of the program, the Menu Program helps park councils determine important decisions at the neighborhood level. Unfortunately, some aldermen do not make full use of the dollars allocated to them, and still more distribute the Menu monies without any sort of open public participation in selecting projects and prioritizing needs.

Most communities are wrestling with a host of public works needs such as inadequate sidewalks and streets, old and unsafe children’s playgrounds, crumbling alleys, crumbling walking paths in and public parks. However, many communities and city council members have focused greater attention to area parks and children’s playgrounds.

During the winter season, each alderman will decide his or her “menu” ward projects to be spent in the following calendar year.  Between November and February is the best time to confirm with your alderman the park projects you want funded for current year construction or enhancement. Be it acquisition of an open space, an updated spray pool or matching funds for a new playground, be sure your alderman allocates dollars annually toward some park related project.   Try to meet with your alderman to discuss your park need and put your request in writing.

For detailed information on how Aldermen spent their menu money in 2007 and 2008 visit: 
http://cbs2chicago.com/investigations/BGA.2.Investigators.2.1280133.html

For more information, contact Jill C. Heise, Director of Neighborhood Parks and Community Relations at Friends of the Parks – (312) 857-2757 ext. 17.  E-mail: heisej@fotp.org.