Jackson Park is priceless lakefront, publicly owned public park property, dedicated as a public park dating back to the World Columbian Exposition of 1893. It is the prized and world-famous creation of Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, and it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. And, by chance, it serves the immediate outdoor needs of south side residents.
Here is a simple thought experiment. If it was legal for the Park District to suddenly decide to gift away this priceless public park land to a private non-governmental entity for 99 years and $10, then why couldn’t that have been simply done? Why instead has it been necessary to engage in all the deceptive land flipping maneuvers contrived by the Mayor and the Park District ?
Was Jackson Park made the sacrificial lamb because other private non-park interests were to be served and this “minority” public park was considered to be easy pickings?

Herb Caplan

Protect Our Parks