Public Hearings On U Of C's Obama Library Sites Begin Tuesday
(CBS) -- Tuesday is the first public hearing on the University of Chicago's proposal for the Barack Obama Presidential Library. The two sites included in the proposal each include park land.
One site includes using 22 acres of Washington Park, from Martin Luther King Drive in the west to Ellsworth on the east and from 51st Street in the North to Garfield Boulevard in the south. The other involves the use of 20 acres of Jackson Park, from Stony Island Avenue on the west, Cornell Avenue on the east, 60th Street on the north and 63rd Street on the south.
CBS 2's Dorothy Tucker takes a look at the promises of the promoters and complaints from critics.
"I believe that the Obama library will be a good addition to the park," said Ghian Foreman, executive director of the Southwest Development Corporation.
Foreman is a supporter of the University of Chicago's proposal to build the library on the city's South Side, even if it means using part of the park. University promoters say it also means an annual economic boost of $220 million.
"All the stores around here will benefit," Foreman said. "It brings money into the neighborhood from around the world."
"There will be jobs associated with, it will be inspiration for neighborhood, for the kids," said Foreman.
30 year community resident Fred Anthony is opposed to giving up the park land.
"Every summer we have softball league, cricket, soccer," he said. "We need these grounds to continue our social life."
Anthony doesn't care that the 22 acres of park land is just a fraction of the more than 300 that makes up Washington Park. Neither does Cassandra Francis, the president of Friends of the Parks.
"We believe they should be using their own land," Francis said, referring to the 11 acres the university owns across the street from the park and already included in the proposal.
"These are parks that are really irreplaceable, particularly when there is land across the street ," she said.
The public is encouraged to turn out and voice its opinion Tuesday evening. The first public hearing is at 6:00 p.m. at the Hyde Park Academy High School, 6220 South Stony Island Avenue, which happens to be across the street from the proposed Jackson Park location.
The second hearing will take place on Wednesday at noon at the Washington Park Field House, 5531 S. Martin Luther King Dr.
