Ald. Leslie Hairston, whose 5th Ward includes the library site and portions of neighboring communities, wrote an in open letter to the Obama Foundation asking how it plans to engage the nieghborhood in its planning for the library.
The Obama Foundation, the not-for-profit developing the first African-American president’s library and museum in Jackson Park, was criticized by a local alderman Monday for not sharing enough information on how South Side residents will benefit from the high-profile project.
"My primary concern is how the Obama Foundation plans to engage the community in the transformation of these neighborhoods," Ald. Leslie Hairston, whose 5th Ward includes the library site and portions of neighboring communities, stated in an open letter to the Foundation. "Residents would like to know what is the plan for community outreach."
The letter also called for integrating the planning for the presidential library with a proposal to convert the the Jackson Park and South Shore golf courses into a PGA-caliber destination.
"Residents would like to have a comprehensive picture of how transportation, park use and recreation will be addressed," she stated.
In issuing the letter, Hairson becomes one of the most prominent community members to call for greater transparency in the development plans for historic Jackson Park — plans that are led by private interests. Others include Friends of the Park and Jackson Park Watch, an ad hoc community group.
Hairston noted that a number of community groups are already meeting and planning to make community benefits demands of the Obama Foundation.
"Without communication from the foundation, this can be detrimental to the Obama Presidential Center and the city of Chicago," she stated in the letter. "This is not what anybody wants or what the foundation needs."
Landscape designers named for Obama Presidential Center Blair Kamin
The Obama Foundation on Monday named a team of landscape architects for the Obama Presidential Center, to be led by the designer of Chicago’s 606 trail and Maggie Daley Park.
Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, based in New York, will head the team, which will include two Chicago landscape design…
The Obama Foundation on Monday named a team of landscape architects for the Obama Presidential Center, to be led by the designer of Chicago’s 606 trail and Maggie Daley Park.
Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, based in New York, will head the team, which will include two Chicago landscape design…
(Blair Kamin)
The Obama Foundation did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the letter.
In a previous statement, it said, ""This presidential center is for the community. . . .The plan is for the center to be developed in a way that benefits everyone in the community, uses broad collaboration with the community and embraces engagement with the entire community."
Among the benefits sought by residents, Hairston said, are jobs in planning, architecture, construction, operations and professional services; job training programs for positions in construction, customer service, event planning and independent contracting; concession and retail opportunities; and early childhood education in science, technology and math.
A number of community groups are pushing for a written benefits agreement, something the Obama Foundation has not embraced.
Meanwhile, the Rev. Byron Brazier, pastor of the Apostolic Church of God in neighboring Woodlawn, is taking a less confrontational approach, soliciting community ideas for an economic development plan to foster revitalization of the surrounding communities.
As Obamas exit center stage, they get to work shaping legacy Kathy Bergen
Former President Barack Obama is wasting little time trying to establish his legacy through his foundation, rolling out a video appeal for his presidential library on a new website laden with biographical and historical detail — hours before Donald Trump was sworn in as president Friday.
In a two-minute…
Former President Barack Obama is wasting little time trying to establish his legacy through his foundation, rolling out a video appeal for his presidential library on a new website laden with biographical and historical detail — hours before Donald Trump was sworn in as president Friday.
In a two-minute…
(Kathy Bergen)
kbergen@chicagotribune.com
@kathy_bergen
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