Parks and Planes proposal wins recognition from Chicago
group
Advocates of re-opening
Meigs Field got a boost today, when a Chicago trade organization
recognized a proposal by the Friends of Meigs Field with one of its
highest awards. The Publicity Club of Chicago presented a Golden
Trumpet award to the Friends of Meigs for its innovative plan to
re-open Meigs Field as a combination park/airport/air museum.
The proposal, titled "Parks and Planes: A Vision for Meigs Field
and Northerly Island," received the award at the PCC's annual
awards luncheon, in the category of Best Book, Brochure or Booklet.
The PCC is the nation's largest public relations membership
organization.
"We are tremendously excited about this recognition," said
Rachel Goodstein, past president of the organization, in accepting
the award.
The proposal is a bold
and innovative proposal that would benefit park users and flyers
alike. Combining 18 acres of new lakefront parkland with a
re-opened and improved Meigs Field, the proposal also includes an
aviation museum to complement the Chicago Museum Campus. Park
features would include more new lakefront parkland than has been
added in perhaps 50 years, meadows, harborside promenades, nature
walks, an improved and expanded 12th St. beach, and even an
artificial scuba reef. The plan also contains a 20-year vision for
the future with expanded parkland, museum, and airport.
Funding for the plan would come from federal (95%) and other
aviation funds-requiring no local property taxes-and leave up to
$100 million in revenues left over to improve other parks across
the city.
"This is practically a no-brainer," said Steve Whitney,
president of the Friends of Meigs Field. "New parkland, exciting
new things to do with your kids on the Museum Campus, more airport
capacity during a time of record airport congestion, and millions
for other parks, all at no cost to local taxpayers. The public
should know about this proposal."
The plan was written under the leadership of Phil Guziec,
chairman of the Friends of Meigs' plan committee, illustrated by
Terry Baker and Sheila Macomber, and designed and produced by Rick
Vogeney of Vogeney PhotoDesign.
At the same awards luncheon, the Friends of Meigs also received
a second award for Crisis Public Relations, for the work of the
group in the hours, days, and weeks following Mayor Daley's
demolition of Meigs' runway in March of last year.