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Obama Center May Take Over Kids' Field Of Dreams

CHICAGO (CBS) -- For over 20 years the Wolfpack Youth Football League has called Jackson Park home.

Their field will be moved to make way for the Obama Presidential Library and there are concerns that they will be pushed out.

CBS 2's Charlie De Mar has the story from Jackson Park.

The head coach of the program said the field gives the players the opportunity to be involved with something positive.

Thousands of kids have come through this program in its 21 year history playing football at 61st and Stony Island.

In order to make way for the Obama Presidential Center, trees in Jackson Park would have to be cut down.  And the field the kids have called home for so many years would be rebuilt nearby.

But the city of Chicago and park district decided to stop all construction related to the presidential center because of federal approvals that were still pending and a lawsuit filed by park preservationists.

Coach Ernest Radcliffe, who founded the program, said he welcomes the presidential center but doesn't want the city to forget about the Wolfpack.

"Our biggest concern is that we would like for that field to be up and running so not just our program but all the programs that use this field," said Radcliffe. "We have hundreds of people here for our homecoming it's like this everyday. There's a lot of activity at this field and we need that field to be up and running."

Construction will remain on hold until a series of federal reviews are completed and the proper permitting is in place.

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