(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Thursday appeared to throw a counter-offer on the table as a potential compromise to renaming iconic Lake Shore Drive for the city’s Black founder.
Lightfoot unveiled a $40 million, public-private plan to fully develop an existing park near Jean Baptiste Point Du Sable’s onetime homestead at the mouth of the Chicago River. Other sites along the River Walk would highlight his contributions and recognize DuSable’s native American wife, Kitihawa, the mayor said.
“This comprehensive plan asserts the Mayor’s belief that Jean Baptiste Point DuSable has played a critical role in Chicago's history and has not received the proper appreciation he deserves,” a news release said. “As the first permanent non-indigenous settler of our city, we must take these measures and others to properly honor his legacy and contributions to the city of Chicago.”
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The mayor’s announcement, which included details of a project she has previously suggested, comes a day after Lightfoot helped delay a City Council vote on a measure to rename Outer Lake Shore Drive for DuSable.
DuSable, who was of African heritage, built a settlement and trading post here in the late 1700s. His modern-day champions have long complained the city’s first non-indigenous settler has been relatively ignored.
Some buildings and structures are named in DuSable’s honor. A bust of DuSable, for example, adorns the bridge named for him on Michigan Avenue at the Chicago River. The lakefront spot Lightfoot wants to develop as an anchor for her plan currently is called DuSable Park.
Lightfoot has indicated she is not supportive of modifying the famous Lake Shore Drive name. Residences and businesses on the inner drive would still have Lake Shore Drive addresses, under the measure that was temporarily shelved this week.