...And That's My Opinion©

By Sandy Goldman

The Rogers Park Community Curmudgeon

Wake Up The Dead!

(Calvary Cemetery Marina)

This is stupefying!

The Army Corpse of Engineers has issued a preliminary report concluding “there is sufficient demand potential to support investment in a continued evaluation of the feasibility of a lakefront harbor marina in Evanston.” The location of that potential marina is on the border of Evanston and Rogers Park on Sheridan road opposite Calvary Cemetery.

It does not take a brain surgeon or a $100,000 federal study to determine, as the Chicago Tribune (April 23) reports, that area boat owners would love to have a marina but most Evanston residents do not want one. Duh!! This was determined by two telephone surveys, one of 400 randomly selected Evanston residents and one of 800 area boat owners within 30 miles of Evanston. But here is the kicker — according to the Tribune, the US Corpse of Engineers found that a 378-boat marina and a 310-car parking lot stretching 650 feet in the lake would have little effect on traffic or noise in the area. I guess that the real engineers are all in Iraq.

There will be a meeting on this subject on Monday, April 26, 2004 at the Evanston City Council at the Evanston Civic Center, 2100 Ridge Ave in Evanston. The time of presentation is expected to be about 8:20 PM. Evanston decisions have the power to affect our lives dramatically and powerfully. Let us not ignore this meeting because it is an Evanston meeting. Let the Rogers Park presence be felt.

At a Feb 26^th 2004 meeting in Evanston about this issue Alderman Bernstein (4^th Ward) of Evanston said, it will not happen if it is disruptive to the community; the city has no money. A representative of Rep. Jan Schakowsky said there would be no support if it is disruptive to communities. (It was Rep. Schakowsky who secured federal funding for the study.) A representative of Alderman Joe Moore (49) Chicago said the Aldermen had no comment because there is no proposal. How’s that for stepping out in front and taking a position to protect your community?

It is reported on the original Forum 49 site that at a Jan 12^th meeting of the 49^th Ward Beaches and Parks Advisory Board meeting Alderman Moore, pointed out quite correctly that the sketch in question was from 1966 and that he has yet to decide pro or con on the issue, making the point that people were over-reacting to a proposal that probably will not happen.

I hope that he has a better plan for the development of lakefront parks and beaches. I welcome any indication of such a position and offer this space for any comments.

I feel like Alice in Wonderland, spiraling down the rabbit hole, wondering what’s going to happen next.

The people of Rogers Park saved 13 street end beaches from residential development in the 1950’s. They organized a campaign to send tiny plastic bags of sand to Mayor Richard J. Daley protesting the possible development of residential buildings on those beaches, asking him to stop it. Thousands of bags were sent downtown. They were successful! No buildings were built, the Chicago Park District acquired the street end beaches and we enjoy those beaches even until today.

Do you suppose that Mayor Morton and the Evanston City Council need a similar reminder that we value and indeed treasure our lakefront?

Full report is available at WWW.lrc.usace.army.mil/ under Hot Topics.

...And that's my opinion.

And I'm Sandy Goldman

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