Lincoln Park should still be public in 2010
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Local News Investigates Artificial Turf
“Turf War” Feature in Chicago Magazine
Chicago Magazine reporter Debra Pickett spent hours interviewing POP members and researching the series of events that led up to the Latin School Lincoln Park land grab. Her story is a fair account and asks the question we’ve been asking – who wins from a fight like this? Read the story
Artificial Turf Field Opens, Rule of Law and Safety Be D**ned
Dear Concerned Citizen,
Over objections of Protect Our Parks, POP, the Park District has steamrollered an artificial turf soccer field into existence in Lincoln Park. The location was selected to benefit its original sponsor, the Latin School. Construction was sped up before the pending POP lawsuit could be heard.
Our suit asked that construction or use of the field be halted until independent experts could conduct routine health and safety testing of the materials and assess health impacts of the site’s location. Multiple public warnings about artificial turf products have given parents, neighborhood groups and environmental experts across the country serious concerns about exposing children to the variety of toxic substances identified in these synthetic products. Remember – none of these routine tests were done because the site was selected for one reason and one reason alone – to benefit the Latin School.
Official warnings have come from the United States Centers for Disease Control and the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Great Lakes Center for Children’s Environmental Health, affiliated with the University of Illinois Chicago School of Public Health. The Great lakes Center has urged that a natural grass playing surface be retained until a comprehensive Risk Assessment Study could be performed.
The California Attorney General has sued the very turf manufacturer paid by the Park District to install it here. A study by the nonprofit Center for Environmental Health, which triggered the suit by the California attorney general’s office, showed that some turf samples it collected contained lead levels 150 times the limits outlined in the new federal standards for toys. The Connecticut Attorney General and distinguished doctors and scientists all over the country who specialize in preventing harm from environmental poisons. are calling for a halt to further installations of artificial turf until these claims can be fully investigated. The Park District answer to all this is to install more artificial turf fields.
So what now after the Park District’s reckless disregard for due process and public safety? The health and safety issues do not conveniently disappear. The secret deal that spawned the artificial turf field in the heart of Lincoln Park continues to stink. The offense to public interest does not get swept under the rug and allow the Park District do the same deals in parks in other neighborhoods. The legal challenge has not ended and will not until this historic meadow in Lincoln Park is restored to its original natural grass.
Therefore, the need for your outspoken support and contributions to the legal fund remains greater than ever. We need your support in order to show the Park District that we demand they follow due process and due diligence when they build facilities in our parks. No more secret deals. No more land grabs. No more reckless disregard for our health and safety in laying down synthetic turf.
Please contact us if you would like to know more about what is happening or would like to read for yourself all the warning documents that have proliferated on the subject..
WHAT YOU CAN DOIf all this makes you fighting mad and you want to make your voice heard, visit the POP website (WWW.PROTECTOURPARKS.ORG) and make a contribution to the legal fund, AND volunteer to help! Email us at info@cklpp.org and call us at 312-276-5165.
You can also send letters or make calls with your comments to:
- Mayor Richard M. Daley – City Hall 121 North LaSalle Street Room 507 Chicago, IL, 60602 Phone: 312-744-3300 fax: (312) 744-8045
- Ald.Vi Daley(43rd Ward) – 312-744-3071, 773-327-7103, vdaley@cityofchicago.org
- Head of Latin School, Donald Firke – 312-582-6000, dfirke@latinschool.org
- Park Superintendent Tim Mitchell – 312-742-5366, tim.mitchell@chicagoparkdistrict.com
POP Proposes Independent Testing of Artificial Turf Safety
In a letter to Legal Counsels representing the Park District and the City, defendants in POP’s pending lawsuit challenging the safety of artificial turf in the south field of Lincoln Park, POP urges that in the interest of public health and safety concerns the defendants agree to expedited testing by an impartial public health agency before public exposure to the artificial turf Latin Soccer field, which is being dedicated on Saturday.
The United States Centers for Disease Control; Environmental Protection Agency; the local affiliate Great Lakes Center for Occupational and
Environmental Health & Safety, located at the University of Illinois Chicago School of Public Health; the Attorneys General of California and Connecticut; and prominent physicians all over the country have issued urgent warnings about the dangers to child health and safety that exist in artificial turf fields.
Because Latin School, the Park District, the City and Alderman Vi Daley have all refused to act to secure the public safety, a lawsuit was the only recourse possible to compel them to submit samples of everything for independent testing before children are permitted on the field. Although hundreds of stories detailing the various toxic components of artificial turf abound in the news media and on the internet, no precautionary testing was deemed necessary. Like the original illegal secret deal with Latin school, overturned by POP court action, their attitude remains: “the public be damned.”
Toxic artificial turf a hazard to Latin School children and the public alleges latest lawsuit
The Chicago Park District and Latin School have been sued again by Protect Our Parks, POP, the neighborhood park watchdog organization fighting construction of the Latin School artificial turf soccer field in the formerly open, grassy meadow of South Field Lincoln Park at the foot of the bridge crossing Lake Shore Drive to North Avenue Beach. The new complaint alleges that the artificial turf and scrap tire crumb rubber infill contain dangerous lead and other harmful chemicals that endanger the health and safety of young children exposed to it on a regular basis.
The complaint further alleges that the designated site immediately borders the heavily traveled lanes of Lake Shore Drive traffic, which further exposes children to the cumulative toxic effect of constantly breathing exhaust fumes from automobiles as well as polluted contaminants from factories carried by prevailing winds and deposited on the lakefront park.
The matter has come to the attention of the Great Lakes Centers for Occupational and Environmental Safety and Health, located at the University of Illinois, Chicago, which is a local affiliate of the US Center for Disease Control which has issued the following statement: “We advise that the City of Chicago should conduct an assessment of the environmental health risks of the artificial turf field in Lincoln Park before continuing with its installation. We believe that the data collected by multiple researchers and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention demonstrate the need to conduct such a risk assessment, Until a risk assessment is conducted we strongly urge park planners to stick with regular grass fields instead of installing a product that may harbor bacteria, function as a heat sink and may contain chemicals which are hazardous to childrenâ€.
POP alleges that the defendants have totally ignored the recent safety warning from U.S. Center for Disease Control that cautioned persons exposed to existing artificial turf fields not eat or drink anything on the field, shower and scrub vigorously after play, turn their clothes inside out and launder separately from other clothing, and leave their shoes out of doors, all to limit the exposure to the contaminants in the dust emitted from the turf fields.
POP alleges that the Park District and Latin School have disregarded all warnings and made no effort to conduct independent tests of either the soil, ambient air, or the turf product, before picking the site solely for its convenience to the Latin School, located at the edge of the park, which is used by Latin as a virtually private playfield.
The suit alleges that the installation of this artificial turf product is in violation of the Chicago Lead Bearing Substances Ordinance, and asks for an immediate Injunction preventing its installation.
Earlier this month the state of California filed suit against the three leading manufacturers of artificial turf, including FieldTurf, the company contracted to install its product in south Lincoln Park. Artificial Turf is also currently under attack by the Attorney General of Connecticut and prominent physicians in New York and New Jersey.
New Lawsuit Challenges Park Payment to Latin School – Oops, Too Late!
The law suit proved too late as the Park District has already secretly paid the Latin School back, despite a court settlement mandating public disclosure! Will the law breaking and arrogance at the Chicago Park District ever stop?
Our reaction:
The Park District performed one of its trademark slight of hand tricks on September 23 in the courtroom of Judge Arnold. When Clint Krislov, prominent class action attorney, representing the taxpayers of Chicago, presented his Petition to stop the payment of public money to the private Latin School and its contractors in furtherance of the secret and illegal Agreement to build Latin an artificial turf soccer field in Lincoln Park that was struck down by a previous court action, the Park District surprised everyone by saying it has already secretly paid Latin. No information was disclosed as to the amounts actually paid and all the recipients of the Park District largesse. The Park District was obligated by the earlier court settlement to publicly disclose a schedule of these payments.
In a perfunctory hearing, Judge Arnold then brushed aside the Krislov Petition accepting the position that it was too late to lock the barn door, although Krislov argued that the Park District should be enjoined from continuing to pay money for illegal no-bid construction contracts taken over from Latin.
Although the lawsuit will continue, on behalf of taxpayers, to pursue the moneys that were illegally paid to Latin and its contractors, the next legal step is an immediate application to the Appellate Court to overrule Judge Arnold and enter an injunction to prevent further waste of taxpayers money.
The original press release:
The Chicago Park District and the Latin School were sued again on September 22 in the Circuit Court of Cook County in another round of litigation arising as a consequence of the secretly negotiated deal to build a reserved use Latin School soccer field in Lincoln Park.
Today’s lawsuit is a Taxpayer’s Derivative action challenging any attempt of the Park District to pay public funds to the Latin School or its contractors for the illegal soccer field construction which was stopped in a previous court action filed by Protect Our Parks, the volunteer community watchdog organization.
The new lawsuit alleges that an Agreement of the Park District to pay Latin School over $ 1.35 million of public tax money as reimbursement for the Court voided original Latin Agreement is a violation of taxpayer’s constitutional rights and the Park District’s own rules with respect to public contracts.
The exclusive, private Latin School itself does not pay the real estate taxes which support maintenance and improvements in the park, which Latin School monopolizes as its private playground.
Protect Our Parks hailed the taxpayer action and repeated its contention that the Park District is trying to complete its private deal with Latin School, now with public money, and that three or four soccer fields could be build in needy underserved neighborhoods with the money that the Park District wants to give to Latin. If built, the Gold Coast Latin soccer field would become the most expensive soccer field in Chicago and crowd out all the open, clear and free public uses previously enjoyed in this park meadow.
The motion for a TRO (Temporary Restraining Order) to enjoin repayment to either Latin School or contractors will be heard on September 23 at 9:30 in Chancery Court, Daley Center, Room 2502, by Judge Arnold.
The End of Chapter One…
The Chicago Park District has spoken. At a special session of the board called solely to deal with the Latin School soccer field, commissioners unanimously voted to complete the soccer facility in Lincoln Park and repay the Latin School for its construction costs. WE MUST NOTE THAT THE DECISION TO REPAY THE LATINS SCHOOL WAS NOT COMPELLED BY OUR LAW SUIT – IT IS THE DECISION OF THE CITY TO DO SO.
At this meeting POP offered to raise finds to restore the site to a grass meadow but was rebuffed. POP board President read this statement. POP had gone to court earlier that morning protesting the special session as well as unauthorized work on the site from August 19 that violated our court order. The judge let both actions stand.
So, look for construction at the site to swiftly resume and conclude.
What’s next?
Protect Our Parks is not finished. We see a number of issues still unresolved with the Latin School Land Grab. For one, we don’t think the Latin School should be repaid since the contract that called for them to be repaid was corrupt and voided. The Park District is facing a $24 million deficit and looks to cut up to 300 jobs”. So where do they get the funds to lavish on this project, spawned by the Latin School – and which we think WILL STILL be the main beneficiary of it?
Next, we’ve been contacted by park groups around the city who are facing land grabs, privatizations and shady deals which end up freezing neighbors out of their own parks. We are working with these groups to get a full picture of park abuse and fashion a response.
Thank you to the thousands of people who have signed our petitions, emailed us and grabbed us in restaurants and on the streets to wish us well and urge us on. Also to the hundreds of donors who supported our legal fund – we could not have come this far without you! To all Chicagoans who love open space and good government and who detest cronyism and back-room deals – stay tuned – we’re not done fighting for you!
A local paper got it right with this headline. Lincoln Park is renamed Latin Park!
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PLAN COMMISSION RUBBER STAMPS, AS EXPECTED
The Chicago Plan Commission met on Thursday, August 21 at City Hall and unanimously approved the Latin School artificial turf soccer facility in Lincoln Park.
Members of POP testified that no site plans, no environmental studies, no engineering studies and no marketing studies were done before construction because the project was the result of a secret and illegal deal made with the Latin School. Several commissioners commented that they were not interested in the origins of the construction.
The experts called by the city included the Vice President of Marketing for Field Turf, the firm that is supplying the artificial surface for the project. According to him, there are no health risks associated with playing on synthetic turf. We hope he’s right.
Alderman Vi Daley testified for the project because “thousands of people play soccer.”
Also testifying for the project was Lincoln Park High School Principal, Dr. Betsy Karvelas, who said their soccer teams had to play on a pitted Oz Park field. Why Oz park field can’t be maintained properly was not addressed. Dr. Karvelas and the parents who coach for the Lincoln Park High teams should contribute to POP’s legal fund. Without our intervention, Latin School would be monopolizing this field when completed and her students would never have access to it.
No commissioner asked us a question or conceded one point of our argument. Commissioner Doris Hollub did admonish the Park District. “It is our role to look at uses of the lake front. It was inappropriate not to have come before us before decisions made and contracts let.” Her position on the soccer field? “I’m very much in favor of a field there!”
The highlight of this charade was the arrest of POP co-founder Peter Zelchenko. Peter’s testimony was interrupted and his mike turned off. He completed his remarks without the mile and scolded the commission by asking how they could sleep at night. After he was finished he stood in the back of the City Hall chamber silently watching the proceedings. He was hustled out of the chamber by two policemen and he was held in a stairway for 40 minutes before being handcuffed and arrested. He was booked, finger printed and had a mug shot taken. He was released after about seven hours in custody. He was charged with disorderly conduct and will return to court on October 15.
What a joke. This was Chicago city government at its worst. On the same day that the Chicago Plan Commission slavishly rubber stamped the illegal construction project, local Democratic operatives put Emil Jones III on the ballot to replace his father as the Democratic nominee for the State Senate from the 14th District. Also in the news, a former Chicago electrical inspector was sentenced to 3 years in prison for taking bribes. Chicago, the city where clout talks and the citizens are screwed.
Protect Our Parks co-founder, Peter Zelchenko chides Commissioners, “How can you sleep at night?” He refuses to leave after watching silently from the back of the chamber. He is arrested and booked. Photo by Felicia Dechter.
DOWNLOAD OUR OFFICIAL SUBMISSION TO THE PLAN COMMISSION
READ A SUMMARY OF OUR OBJECTIONS TO THE ILLEGAL SOCCER CONSTRUCTION PROJECT
Read the latest news coverage:+
- Chicago Reader – It’s Not Illegal to Be Obnoxious
- Sun-Times – Latin soccer field back on track
- Skyline – Peter Zelchenko Arrested
- Chicago Tribune editorial – City Hall’s Soccer Rules
- Skyline Press editorial – Menial Moves – Why did the park district take the scoreboard out? -
- The Reader – An Artificial Battle – The latest round in the soccer wars is about turf – in more ways than one
IF YOU WERE IN THE PARK TUESDAY MORNING, AUGUST 19 AND SAW THIS ACTIVITY IN THE SOCCER STADIUM CONSTRUCTION ZONE – PLEASE CALL US AT 312-276-5165 AND LEAVE A MESSAGE WITH YOUR NAME AND PHONE NUMBER.*
THIS WAS ILLEGAL ACTIVITY ON THE SITE AND VIOLATED OUR COURT ORDER THAT PROHIBITS ANY ACTIVITY ON THE SITE UNLESS WE ARE NOTIFIED AND GIVE OUR PERMISSION.
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