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