Supporters, foes of Children's Museum proposed move take trench...

[lucky]

How about a name change to 'Spoiled, Little, out of control Brats Place' and put a huge watering hole next to it to ease the pain of parenting ? How about Beavis and Bud Hole?

[mommy]

Ald. Reilly sounds like an intelligent man. I live in a town whose library is almost entirely underground, and it is a very depressing building, even with skylights.

Also consider that, once this building is in place, it will be easier for them to get permission to alter the structure above ground. Give an inch, take a mile.

If this were a free institution, I might be more amenable, but it is simply trying to take financial advantage of Chicagoans, better to line the pockets of those in charge. Tell me, with all the financial benefits they will gain, will they significantly lower the admission price?

[who did it]

Save Grant Park wrote:

I got there early and stayed until 4:30 still without an opportunity to speak. It was clear as it progressed that this commission had their decision made long ago and yesterday's discussion was nothing more than window dressing to provide the appearance of considering other opinions.
As soon as the rules were laid down about no discussion of financing, alternate locations, and the site selection, it was clear this pet project of the mayor's was a done deal.
I can't remember the four criteria that CCM keeps citing as to why they need Grant Park and only it meets their needs. Something to the effect of; a central location, good access, parking,(I can't locate the rest)... point is, what business wouldn't have these same weak objectives that require Grant Park as well? I can see the rest lining out the door now for their piece of the park.
A precedent was set today and that is the mayor is a party of one and has absolute control over this town. He's bought and paid for by the rich, and has control over the elected officials.
I propose we go find the Olympics Committee and put Chicago out of the bidding. That's the one place I think is not in Daley's control.
On another note, I am very proud of Alderman Reilly and the professional, intelligent, rational, and ETHICAL manner in which he conducts himself. I hope to see him as mayor of Chicago soon so he can clean up this town.

Daley not exactly a party of one...can you say Pritzker? As in GiGi(Jean) This is another Pritzker project and you know Daley can't say NO to them he may need to borrow money for his defense later down the road.

[teddy]

From Thursday nights testimony:

When asked about the design of the park...

"This will all change"

Theodore J Novak - Attorney for Chicago Children's Museum

[chicagomom]

I have kids and don't want the CCM in Grant Park. Not b/c I don't want to see kids, but because I don't want a private institution in a public space. The park is available to anyone right now. We play there almost everyday and there are lots of kids out everyday. Do you REALLY believe the bull you are writing or are you a paid hack?
Stop creating a story that isn't there. It's just ignorant.

Stager145 wrote:

<quoted text>
Ok, just quit it. The only thing people will remember in years to come will be how self serving, ignorant and biased a group of adults were in trying to stop the buiding of a museum for "CHILDREN". If it looks like something that will make or generate lots of money such as let's say....hmmmm.. "taste of chicago", "breast cancer walks", etc... etc... Nobody talks about the thousands and sometimes millions of people that walk around our wonderful "Open" spaces then.
People against the "CHILDREN" having a museum should be ashamed of yourselves.

[Guy Fawkes]

What a shocker of a vote...King Daley and his court voted the way he commanded them to vote.

As the Joker said in the Tim Burton "Batman" movie, THIS TOWN NEEDS AN ENEMA!!!

The ONLY hope those of us who oppose the CCM move to Grant Park has is in the court system, and hopefully a ruling will come down that does NOT allow the CCM to move to Grant Park...but who knows what kind of political machinations that Machiavelli Daley has up his sleeve.

I really feel like I am living in a BIZARRO alternate universe, when the CCM Board can promote and believe that moving to Grant Park does not go against legal precedent...especially the part about "...forever FREE..."

[Guy Fawkes]

Remember, Remember the 15th of May...

Guy Fawkes was on to something regarding corrupt government...

[rj chicago]

So the rule of law has no foundation in the City of Chicago - We are losing our civility and our civic life to private interests and political puppets.

[Michael Anthony]

From everything that I have read and listened to over this debate, CCM cares little about what the citizens of this city truly desire. They are turning a deaf ear to the growing chorus of dissent. Perhaps its time to let some of their sponsers know how little we care for their strong arm tactics and misinformation. KRAFT sponsers free family night on Thursdays. TARGET sponsers free first Mondays. AMERICAN AIRLINES is the official Airline for CCM. All of these companies contribute to the bottom line of CCM, which ultimately assists them in their fight to prevail over what Chicagoans really want. Its time that they get the message that they do not hold power over the citizens.

[Bob ONeal the Sellout]

Stager145 wrote:

<quoted text>
Ok, just quit it. The only thing people will remember in years to come will be how self serving, ignorant and biased a group of adults were in trying to stop the buiding of a museum for "CHILDREN". If it looks like something that will make or generate lots of money such as let's say....hmmmm.. "taste of chicago", "breast cancer walks", etc... etc... Nobody talks about the thousands and sometimes millions of people that walk around our wonderful "Open" spaces then.
People against the "CHILDREN" having a museum should be ashamed of yourselves.

What a dolt. I have children and don't what this rediculous 'Chucky Cheese' knock-off in the Park. I respect the laws and sacrifices that others have given us Grank Park, and that is what we should teach our children.
Here's an idea, save the $100MM and put it into schools and improving puiblic education.
Only in Chicago can Plan Commissioners be related to people presenting the proposal and vote with no hint of conflict of interest, or they can work on behalf of the applicant (in this case the CCM), and bus people through their not-for-profit 10 miles to shout down actual residents who care, and no one thinks this is conflict of interest. Let's see what happens when Daley takes over the park near Woodlawn, and those same uneducated mopes are crying about the land grab in their neighborhood. Maybe they were promised free lifetime passes to the museum.

[Barry]

Know the difference between the Children's Museum and Chuck E Cheese? The CCM's rat has a human face. And more likely two of them.

[Jack]

The Illinois House of Liars and Thieves: Daley, Stroger, Blago, Obama and Durbin.

Wake up, folks.

[Brad Fuller]

It is up to the aldermen now, all 50. 22-23 are already in the bag for Daley. There are 3-4 on the fence.

Call your alderman, get your friends to call theirs.

Daley has to be running out of nice package deals he can keep selling to aldermen for their votes, so now is the time to get after the aldermen.

[Ron]

Now we need to go to the Courts and spend millions of dollars to reverse what has to be the worst idea ever coming from this Mayor. I usually give him the benefit of the doubt, but not on this one. He is totally off base. What a sad day for Chicago. Daniel Burnham will turn over in his grave if this goes forward.

[ByronMoreno]

Stager145 wrote:

People against the "CHILDREN" having a museum should be ashamed of yourselves.

Idiots who think the CCM plan is about doing what is best for children should be ashamed.

[A Nonny Mouse]

Is there a list somewhere of which alderman are backing the CCM and which are opposed?

[BCC]

I hope this sparks a good mayoral candidate to knock out King Richard in the next election!

[kurious]

Why even fight this, Daley has EVERYONE bought! After living in Chicago my whole life I've never see him not get what he wanted, regardless of how the rest of us feel about it. I think the museum should stay EXACTLY where it is!

[Jim]

Stager145 wrote:

<quoted text>
Ok, just quit it. The only thing people will remember in years to come will be how self serving, ignorant and biased a group of adults were in trying to stop the buiding of a museum for "CHILDREN". If it looks like something that will make or generate lots of money such as let's say....hmmmm.. "taste of chicago", "breast cancer walks", etc... etc... Nobody talks about the thousands and sometimes millions of people that walk around our wonderful "Open" spaces then.
People against the "CHILDREN" having a museum should be ashamed of yourselves.

The "CHILDREN", as you put it, already have a enormous Chicago Children's Museum just 1000 years away from Grant Park. The kiddies also have several other children's museums and similar activity centers, such as the Kohl's Children's Museum in Wilmette.

What the kids don't have is a quality facility in the west and south sides of the the city. Nor do they have any FREE facilities.

If the CCM and Mayor Daley truly cared about the kids and were committed to the functions of a facility rather than the board members of a particular organization, then a new CCM would be in built in a neighborhood that would really benefit and the current CCM would stay on Navy Pier.

[JML]

Stop the Madness wrote:

Congrats to the museum and its team for putting on a thorough, complete and informative presentation. After seeing it first hand I have to agree with the Rabbi...what's all the fuss about? I've listened to Ald. Reiley the past few weeks accuse the museum of changing its plans with every new criticism. Well, isn't that the point of a public debate? The same can be said about his excuses for opposes the project (I stopped counting after he changed his mind the fourth time). Now he asserts that private institutions/organizations can't use public land. Well, my group meets twice a week at the Wells Park fieldhouse in Lincoln Square. Does Ald. Rieley think we should be sued as well? Does he plan to take the hundreds of other museums, schools, non-profits, businesses, churches, community organizations and neighborhood associations who use park district facilities and land everyday to court? This argument, like his others before it, is nonsense. The bottom line is if the project is legal (and after listening to the park district's attorney, I believe it is), isn't using tax dollars to fund it (and it isn't...in fact the museum is contributing all the costs,$15 million, to rehab the Daley Bi fieldhouse), and it improves the park for both active and passive uses then I say let them build it.

1) The project is not legal. Period.

2) The 'museum' will get taxpayer money in the future when they apply to receive money through the Museums in the Park Fund -- they could potentially receive $1 million or more ANNUALLY, by the way. They will also need taxpayers' money to plug the leaks when their underground bunker starts leaking.

3) The Daley Bi field house needs to be fixed, yes. The park district is supposed to have the funds set aside to do this and to fix Daley Bi Plaza when Laz, the garage concessionarie, tears up the park in 2012 to repair the garage and replace the waterproof membrane on the garage roof.

4) Your group meeting in a field house illustrates the point of a PARK perfectly. It is to benefit the people ... all the people ... not just the ones who can afford to pay $9 to visit.

5) Where are the restaurants with full liquor licenses going to be built?

6) I am not a NIMBY. I believe the city and the musem should do the RIGHT thing and not the selfish, greedy thing. And this is all about money and the museum throwing their big fund raisers on prime real estate at the rental price of ONE DOLLAR PER YEAR.