Is There A Place Where Planes And Parks Can Get Along? | Aero-News Network
Aero-News Network
RSS icon RSS feed
podcast icon MP3 podcast
Subscribe Aero-News e-mail Newsletter Subscribe

Airborne Unlimited -- Most Recent Daily Episodes

Episode Date

Airborne-Monday

Airborne-Tuesday

Airborne-Wednesday Airborne-Thursday

Airborne-Friday

Airborne On YouTube

Airborne-Unlimited-07.07.25

Airborne-NextGen-07.08.25

AirborneUnlimited-07.09.25

Airborne-FlightTraining-07.10.25

AirborneUnlimited-07.11.25

Mon, Nov 29, 2004

Is There A Place Where Planes And Parks Can Get Along?

Friends Of Meigs Wants To Know

Chicago's Park District Authority says it wants to work with the city's residents to come up with the perfect way to use Northerly Island. You might remember Northerly Island -- it's where Meigs Field stood until Chicago Mayor Richard Daley ordered its undercover destruction.

This month, the Park District has been holding public meetings at what was once the Meigs terminal building. That's where Steve Whitney, president of the Friends of Meigs, stood up and challenged the city's pledge to find the best use for what was once Chicago's downtown airport.

"They say they are trying to reach out for the input of the citizens of Chicago," said Whitney, quoted in the Chicago Tribune. "We are going to try to work with them to see if they are acting in good faith."

Whitney's idea is to create an aviation museum, a rebuilt runway and a surrounding park on Northerly Island. To make that vision more enticing, he points out the FAA would probably fund a good portion of the project, saving the city upwards of $100 million.

The Park Authority wasn't very receptive to the idea as Whitney described it earlier this month. "There are no parks where airstrips are a compatible use," said Arnold Randall, the district director of planning and development. "Typically, park spaces are places you can go and escape from urban life and noises."

No compatible use? Whitney and his group are asking for examples of parks coexisting with airports.

We spotted several possibilities with just a cursory search of ANN's archives and the Internet. For instance, the USAF Museum and National Aviation Hall of Fame are located on the grounds of Wright-Patterson AFB in Dayton, OH. Pensacola city officials are now considering funding an aviation park at Pensacola Regional Airport. Then there's the College Park Aviation Museum on the grounds of the College Park Airport in Maryland.

Can you find other examples?

FMI: www.friendsofmeigs.org

Advertisement

More News

KidVenture Educational Activities Lineup At EAA AirVenture 2025

Youth Explore With Hands-On Builds, RC Airplanes, Flight Sims, Much More KidVenture is located just north of the EAA Aviation Museum, at Pioneer Airport, and has arranged a myriad >[...]

Aero-News: Quote of the Day (07.07.25)

“About nine decades ago, Amelia Earhart was recruited to Purdue, and the university president later worked with her to prepare an aircraft for her historic flight around the >[...]

Airborne 07.07.25: Sully v Bedford, RAF Vandalism, Discovery Moving?

Also: New Amelia Search, B737 Flap Falls Off, SUN ‘n FUN Unveiling, F-16 Record Captain Sully Sullenberger, the pilot who saved 155 people by safely landing an A320 in the Hu>[...]

Aero-News: Quote of the Day (07.08.25)

"It is critically important for North American flight safety that Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) violations are avoided. All pilots must familiarize themselves with updates to >[...]

Airborne-NextGen 07.08.25: Joby in Dubai, Army Electra, Archer iin Abu Dhabi

Also: Hackers v Aviation, Discovery Moving?, Gogo Galileo HDX, EVE to Costa Rica Joby Aviation announced its electric air taxi successfully completed a series of VTOL wingborne tri>[...]

blog comments powered by Disqus



Advertisement

Advertisement

Podcasts

Advertisement

© 2007 - 2025 Web Development & Design by Pauli Systems, LC