Contact Your Alderman
| Ward | Alderman | Phone Number | |
| 1 | Manuel Flores | ward01@cityofchicago.org | 312-744-3063 |
| 2 | Robert Fioretti | ward02@cityofchicago.org | 312-263-9273 |
| 3 | Pat Dowell | ward03@cityofchicago.org | 312-744-8734 |
| 4 | Toni Preckwinkle | ward04@cityofchicago.org | 312-744-2690 |
| 5 | Leslie Hairston | ward05@cityofchicago.org | 312-744-6832 |
| 6 | Freddrenna Lyle | ward06@cityofchicago.org | 312-744-6868 |
| 7 | Sandi Jackson | ward07@cityofchicago.org | 312-744-6833 |
| 8 | Michelle Harris | ward08@cityofchicago.org | 312-744-3075 |
| 9 | Anthony Beale | ward09@cityofchicago.org | 312-744-6838 |
| 10 | John Pope | ward10@cityofchicago.org | 312-744-3078 |
| 11 | James Balcer | ward11@cityofchicago.org | 312-744-6663 |
| 12 | George Cardenas | ward12@cityofchicago.org | 312-744-3040 |
| 13 | Frank Olivo | ward13@cityofchicago.org | 312-744-3076 |
| 14 | Ed Burke | ward14@cityofchicago.org | 312-744-3380 |
| 15 | Toni Foulkes | ward15@cityofchicago.org | 312-744-6850 |
| 16 | JoAnn Thompson | ward16@cityofchicago.org | 312-744-3184 |
| 17 | Latasha Thomas | ward17@cityofchicago.org | 312-744-7738 |
| 18 | Lona Lane | ward`8@cityofchicago.org | 312-744-6856 |
| 19 | Virginia Rugai | ward19@cityofchicago.org | 312-744-3072 |
| 20 | Willie Cochran | ward20@cityofchicago.org | 312-744-6840 |
| 21 | Howard Brookins | ward21@cityofchicago.org | 312-744-4810 |
| 22 | Ricardo Munoz | ward22@cityofchicago.org | 312-744-9491 |
| 23 | Michael Zalewski | ward23@cityofchicago.org | 312-744-6828 |
| 24 | Sharon Dixon | ward24@cityofchicago.org | 312-744-6839 |
| 25 | Daniel Solis | ward25@cityofchicago.org | 312-744-6845 |
| 26 | Billy Ocasio | ward26@cityofchicago.org | 312-744-6853 |
| 27 | Walter Burnett | ward27@cityofchicago.org | 312-744-6124 |
| 28 | Ed Smith | ward28@cityofchicago.org | 312-744-3066 |
| 29 | Isaac Carothers | ward29@cityofchicago.org | 312-744-3070 |
| 30 | Ariel Reboyras | ward30@cityofchicago.org | 312-744-3304 |
| 31 | Ray Suarez | ward31@cityofchicago.org | 312-744-6102 |
| 32 | Scott Waguespack | ward32@cityofchicago.org | 312-744-6567 |
| 33 | Richard Mell | ward33@cityofchicago.org | 312-744-6825 |
| 34 | Carrie Austin | ward34@cityofchicago.org | 312-744-6820 |
| 35 | Rey Colon | ward35@cityofchicago.org | 312-744-6835 |
| 36 | William Banks | ward36@cityofchicago.org | 312-744-6857 |
| 37 | Emma Mitts | ward37@cityofchicago.org | 312-744-8019 |
| 38 | Thomas Allen | ward38@cityofchicago.org | 312-744-6811 |
| 39 | Margaret Laurino | ward39@cityofchicago.org | 312-744-7242 |
| 40 | Patrick O’Connor | ward40@cityofchicago.org | 312-744-6858 |
| 41 | Brian Doherty | ward41@cityofchicago.org | 312-744-3208 |
| 42 | Brendan Reilly | ward42@cityofchicago.org | 312-744-3065 |
| 43 | Vi Daley | ward43@cityofchicago.org | 312-744-3071 |
| 44 | Thomas Tunney | ward44@cityofchicago.org | 312-744-3073 |
| 45 | Patrick Levar | ward45@cityofchicago.org | 312-744-6841 |
| 46 | Helen Shiller | ward46@cityofchicago.org | 312-744-6831 |
| 47 | Eugene Schulter | ward47@cityofchicago.org | 312-744-4021 |
| 48 | Mary Ann Smith | ward48@cityofchicago.org | 312-744-6860 |
| 49 | Joseph Moore | ward49@cityofchicago.org | 312-744-3067 |
| 50 | Bernard Stone | ward50@cityofchicago.org | 312-744-6855 |
We Sue, We Win (the first round)
On May 14, in what the chairman said was the longest meeting in the history of the Chicago Park District, its board of commissioners voted to cancel its contract with the Latin School of Chicago. As part of a settlement with Protect Our Parks (your humble servants), the Park District also agreed to halt all construction on the soccer facility until a hearing can be held before the Chicago Plan Commission,
and to grant the General Superintendent, Tim Mitchell (profile – PDF file), the authority to complete the artificial turf facility. If such a field is ever built, the Latin School would stand in line like everyone else. Also, the city will pay Protect Our Parks $40,000, which represents just a portion of our legal fees. This settlement did not cover all our costs by a long shot and we’re not done fighting. Donate to our legal fund now.
Under the terms of the original contract between the Park District and the Latin School, if the contract is canceled, the Park District must pay the Latin School back for its construction costs. The Park District also voted to do that, with a cap of $2 million. This project should never have been started in the first place. When the community had a chance to debate a similar construction project for the same site in 2002, there were petition drives, public meetings, extensive newspaper coverage, a citizen’s committee was formed and money was raised – the result was a loud and clear “NO!” to an artificial turf, special use sports facility on the meadow. So, now we have a construction project that was started as a result of a secret deal – one that the courts have repudiated. We think the field should revert to a grassy field – that’s what the community wanted in 2002. That’s what it was before the illegal construction project started. What do you think should happen now?
LISTEN & READ
- Download a copy of the termination agreement between the Park District and the Latin School
- Download a copy of the settlement.
- Hear Mr. Simon and CPD General Counsel, Maria Guadalupe Garcia, read out the terms of the settlement. (all sound files are in WAV format)
- Hear the commissioners take a formal roll call vote on the settlement.
- Hear Board President Chico’s comments directed at Protect Our Parks, refuting claims of any back room deal, affirming the need for Astroturf, declaring commitment to finishing the field, defending the honor of Commissioner Koldyke and pledging to ‘take into account’ whatever the Chicago Plan Commission recommends.
- Hear General Superintendent Tim Mitchell’s comments directed (we think) at Protect Our Parks where he says that three days notice of any meeting is adequate, that ‘You are never, ever, ever going to get Tim Mitchell to say that he doesn’t want kids in the parks in organized sports,’ that Latin School has been using Montrose Park for decades – so where have been all that time, that the construction of the field is consistant with the Lincoln Park Framework Plan, and that Friends of the Parks was at the Board board meeting where the Latin School deal was approved.