The Tribune’s reporting of the ongoing efforts to reform the Chicago Park District is to be commended. The valuable resource that our parks represent has for too long been squandered. However, any long-term solution to this bureaucratic mess will require the collaborative efforts of both the public and private sectors.
Knowing this, I was surprised to learn of the park district’s intention to eliminate its highly successful and cost-effective Garden Club Program. This initiative, begun four years ago, has brought together interested groups, such as the Sherwin Avenue Garden Club, to plant and maintain more than 40 gardens throughout the city.
The district needs to continue with its efforts to reinvent itself to better serve the public. The Garden Club Program was one of the things it was doing well. The decision to eliminate it is ill-advised and shows just how disconnected park management is from community organizations.
