CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- A Chicago parks watchdog group says what the public has been told about plans for a NASCAR race downtown next summer is another example of how the city and Park District don’t keep people “in the loop” or give them any input.
Chicago Park District spokeswoman Michele Lemons said in a statement that including prep and tear-down, the NASCAR event next summer will impact Grant Park for two weeks between Roosevelt Road and Randolph Street and Michigan Avenue to DuSable Lake Shore Drive.
The Park District claims people who want to use Grant Park will be minimally impacted.
Juanita Irizarry, executive director of Friends of the Parks, said it’s another revenue-generating event in which people don’t get a say.
“Grant Park is Chicago’s front yard and we’ve been using it like a festival ground but, honestly, it affects all of us and we have not been invited to be part of the conversation about how we all envision Grant Park and our lakefront.”
Irizarry said, “What’s even more frustrating than normal is that …this mayor talked about transparency as one of her core values for her administration and we have found that that’s just absolutely not how she functions.”
The Park District said Grant Park will be impacted for two weeks from June 22-July 5. Race events will be held July 1 and July 2.
Lemons said that since the NASCAR event is a revenue generator, it does not need the approval of the Park District Board. She said, however, “The Board is kept apprised of all important matters that impact the park district such as large scale events.”
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