There is much more humor than truth in the two portrayals Steve Neal presents: one of park district President Walter Netsch as an ”elitist” and the other of former park Supt. Ed Kelly as a man of the people.
True enough, Mr. Kelly did provide an impressive slate of recreational programs in public parks, but mostly the public parks situated in his own 47th Ward and in a few other politically connected communities.
Indeed, under Kelly`s cultivating hand, some of these parks evolved to resemble scaled-down versions of the lush August National Country Club.
So in one sense, Kelly truly is a man of the people, the people being his neighbors, cronies and political collaborators. In contrast, the Kelly regime cranked out crudely constructed recreational programs for those communities that either strayed from the constricted Kelly political orbit or were never allowed into it. Most disfavored parks were in heavily populated minority and Hispanic communities and managed by Kelly as if they were on the dark side of the moon.
Mr. Neal made much light of President Netsch`s proposal to ”have mounted rangers `double` as park supervisors” in the most violence-ridden parks. Perhaps Mr. Neal should spend an off-day quietly picnicking at one of these parks. The experience is certain to give new meaning to the phrase ”beat reporter.”
