Friends of the Parks

2016 Olympic Games

Washington Park

Washington Park: Olympic Stadium

• 81,000 person temporary stadium in historic Washington Park

• Constructed in open meadow on sports fields used for baseball, soccer, cricket

• Legacy project is 5,000-20,000 amphitheater stadium that cannot be sustained by the park and would replace needed recreation fields

Washington Park: Aquatic Center

• Two new pools to be constructed north of the Olympic Stadium

• Two pools exist in Washington Park, one outdoor, one indoor – no CPD funds to operate the indoor pool

• 50-meter pool built for speed, not recreation, not receptive to family, community swimming programs

Recommendations for Washington Park

• Consider brownfield for stadium and after the Olympics create an entirely new park as the legacy

• Remove entire Olympic Stadium and restore historic Washington Park, its ball fields, paths, lighting.

• Use existing university pool for Aquatic Program• Construct Aquatic Center in a park that needs a

swimming pool and leave as a legacy project in a neighborhood of need

Douglas Park: Velodrome to become community center

• Constructed north of historic Douglas Park Fieldhouse

• Velodrome proposed to be converted to “community center” adding a second community center to Douglas Park.

• A second community center is not sustainable in park use and financially

Recommendations for Douglas Park

• Use the existing velodrome in Northbrook

• If velodrome is constructed in Douglas Park, remove it entirely and restore Douglas Park

Northerly Island Park

Northerly Island: sailing, beach volleyball

• Northerly Island Park is proposed location for canoeing/kayaking, sailing and beach volleyball

• The temporary facilities for these venues will be removed after the Games

Northerly Island Park: Olympic Slalom Center

• Olympic Slalom proposed for the eastern edge of Northerly Island

• Little need for legacy white water rafting or kayaking

• High maintenance and high liability legacy project in an inappropriate location

• Park District does not have programmatic funding to operate

Recommendations for Northerly Island Park

• Remove Slalom Center and restore Northerly Island Park to natural park plan

Grant Park: Archery Fields, Marathon start

• Good location for archery fields

• Buckingham Fountain is a iconic venue for the start of the Olympic Marathon

• All temporary venues with no significant impact on Grant Park

Monroe Harbor

Grant Park: Rowing • Harbor plan includes removing diagonal

breakwater • Construction of new breakwater east of

Shedd Aquarium to Chicago River• Construction could remove boaters for four

years• Park District derives $4 million annual

revenue from slip rental – loss of $16 - $20 million in operating funds

Recommendations for Grant Park

• Recommendation: Create harbor plan that allows for boaters to use Monroe Harbor except during Games

Jackson Park: Field Hockey Fields

• Artificial turf field hockey fields at western edge of Jackson Park

• Fields could be used for soccer, but would not be good for football, or cricket

• Running track looks to be removed

Recommendations for Jackson Park

• Restore the quarter mile track running in Jackson Park

Lincoln Park: Triathlon

• North Avenue Beach is the proposed venue for the triathlon (swimming, biking, running)

• No detrimental effect on Lincoln Park

Jarvis Bird Sanctuary

Lincoln Park: Tennis Center

• Tennis Center at Waveland/Addison north of Jarvis Bird Sanctuary

• Possible harm to bird sanctuary during construction with heavy equipment, increased activity

• 20 existing tennis courts to be replaced by 13 tennis courts after the Games

Recommendations for Lincoln Park

• Reconstruct 20 tennis courts at Waveland to maintain the current number of courts

• Protect Jarvis Bird Sanctuary from harm

• Consider Montrose parking lots for the Tennis Venue and Center