1. Grant Park is protected open space.

2. There are lots of suitable locations for the Children’s Museum that AREN’T protected open space.

3. Submerging the museum mostly underground has increased the construction cost for the project from $40 million to $100 million, which the museum will have to make up now, most likely by increasing admission fees, or more likely, by sticking taxpayers with the cost overruns.

4. Chicago has less open park space per capita than any other major city in the U.S.

5. Grant Park Conservancy director Bob O’Neill is already circulating plans for another development in Grant Park – a tavern – so the slippery slope is very real.

Just thought I’d share the number of signatories of “Evil Children’s Museum Haters” (i.e. those opposed to it moving the Grant Park) is growing rapidly, see http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/save-grant-park.html and especially note the comments.

Eric

I know you’ve been to the current museum and talked with staff, but have you taken a child there? It pretty much is an activity center.

Not that there’s anything wrong with constructive play. But it’s far closer to a Chuck E. Cheese (without the dreadful food, thank goodness) than it is to a museum. With an current admission price of $8 a head (plus whatever parents have to pay for when they enter or leave through the gift shop) it’s a little expensive for the less than affluent.

My personal opinion is it should just go away.

CHICAGO CARLESS: “Lots more rabbits and squirrels…”…