The Chicago Olympic committee and Mayor Daley changed its proposal to host the 2016 Olympic Games. They propose constructing an Olympic stadium on the grounds of Washington Park on the city’s South side. The proposed stadium would hold 95,000 people during the Olympics and then be converted into a 10,000-seat sporting facility.
Perhaps this plan could help bolster support for the Olympics in Chicago…but what about losing valuable park space near the lakefront? Is it worth losing one of Chicago’s parks to gain an Olympic venue? What are your thoughts?
I’d have to say no. Parks are one of Chicago’s most prized possessions. What are we going to do with a stadium that only holds 10,000 people anyway?
I would say absolutely not. A stadium with a seating capacity of 10,000 is a waste of construction. More importantly, though, the loss of the greenspace on the lakefront would be a tremendous step in the wrong direction given the City’s prior commitments to greenscaping and successful integration of urban environment and greenspace. This integration is what gives the lakefront so much of it’s valuable character and aesthetic desireability. There is still a lot that can be done to further beautify and landscape properties and developments in th city but this proposal moves the City backwards in its beautification. I realize there would be a tremendous short term economic influx with the Olympics, but this would be a cheap trade off that future generations will regret.