Images and Reactions to Open Streets in Wicker Park
By chicago-pipeline at September 16, 2012 | 3:57 pm | Print
It’s 3:35 p.m. on a Sunday afternoon and a man on a megaphone is telling people on the 1500 block of Milwaukee Ave to “get out of the street, use the sidewalk.”
He’s referring to the fact that for the past five hours, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. today, Milwaukee Avenue– Wicker Park’s main throughway street– was closed to motorized traffic as part of Open Streets, an initiative of the Active Transportation Alliance that encourages participants to enjoy healthy recreation and play.
We have to admit… it was a lot of fun… Children making chalk drawings in the street, slack-lining (see photo), adults and even the 14th District Police Commander spotted playing four square. Even if you were just walking aimlessly around in the center of the street like we were, there was something to be said for wandering without fear that you’ll get hit by a car.
Was it worth it, though?
Sam Marts, a Special Service Area #33 Commissioner, said, “We’ll have to weigh the costs of whether or not it was worth it, and how do you judge the worth. That would determine whether or not we do it again.”
An architect with a business on Milwaukee Ave., Marts had put some of his models out on the street, which piqued the curiosity of attendees who took a break from strolling the streets to check out his work.
“I met neighbors of mine that told me they didn’t even know I was an architect,” he said.
When asked about the cost of the event (the SSA #33 kicked in $70,000 of taxpayer dollars to be a sponsor, not to mention rumors circulating that LAZ, the private company that owns and operates parking meters, will require compensation from revenues lost from cars-that-weren’t-parked), Marts replied that he definitely thinks that Open Streets might be more successful in future years if more business sponsored it and if community groups like the PTAs at local schools got involved.
“More sponsorships would bring more of a community focus, too,” he said. ”[Open Streets] is such a great community thing that I think it would self sell itself [to business].”
He concluded that, “People just didn’t know what [Open Streets] meant. But I think that everyone that was here and attended it was pleased with it.”
Karen of Karen Marie Salon at 1859 N. Milwaukee Ave. told the pipeline that although her salon is not open on Sundays, she opened just for Open Streets and was offering a raffle giveaway for hair products. “I think it’s a great event. We’re excited to be here,” she said, echoing the words of Luis, co-owner of Bucktown Music, 1890 N. Milwaukee who also took the opportunity to promote awareness for his business.
Joe Rubin, manager of Odd Obsession Movies, 1822 N. Milwaukee Ave., said that he was disappointed by logistics. Referring to a letter that was sent by the Active Transportation Alliance to businesses along the 1.4 mile, 15-block stretch of Milwaukee Ave affected by the event, Rubin said that he’d signed it under two conditions: that there would not be loud music and that the road would be free of barricades. According to Rubin, the music started by 9 a.m. and due to the skateboard park in front of the movie shop, it was difficult for people to come in and out. Normally having at least one dozen customers on a Sunday shortly before Noon, Rubin said that only three patrons had come into the movie shop. “Ultimately I really don’t care, though it’s BS that taxpayer money is going to pay the parking meters,” he expressed. [UPDATE: In following up with Rubin, he told us that an ATA representative visited his business during the event to respond to his concerns, and then worked with the skateboard park 'MC' to make an announcement every half hour telling attendees that the video shop is open for business, a move that Rubin said he appreciated].
Connie Hinkle, a local art instructor, who lives on the 1900 block of N. Milwaukee Ave., had just returned to the neighborhood from being out of town. She said that she thought it looks like a cool event and only wishes that she’d known about it, as she would have tried to promote her classes that she teaches for the Chicago Park District, or sell some of her handmade jewelry. Gesturing to the somewhat empty street at the northernmost stretch of Open Streets near Milwaukee and Western, she wondered why local theater Gorilla Tango, a photographer’s studio, and other businesses on the 1900 block of Milwaukee Ave. were not involved. “I did not even see a poster for Open Streets,” she said, adding, “Though maybe if I’d been in town the last week I would have known more about it… Next year.”
Pictured (l-to-r) are a few of Open Streets’ main drivers: Julia Kim, ATA’s Open Streets Director, 32nd Ward Alderman Scott Waguespack, Adam Burck, Executive Director of the Wicker Park Bucktown Chamber of Commerce, David Ginople, SSA #33 Chair, Somebody Whose Name We Did Not Jot Down, Ron Burke
Executive Director of the ATA, and in the foreground, City of Chicago Director of Transportation Commissioner Gabe Klein. 1st Ward Alderman ‘Proco’ Joe Moreno was unable to attend Open Streets, per his latest e-newsletter, wherein he told his constituents, “Unfortunately, I’ll be out of town, otherwise I would have made myself available to be dunked. I’m sure there’s a few folks who would like to take this opportunity.”
For more photos, visit our pipeline Facebook page.
Please share your Open Streets experience as a comment to this post.
Check out further coverage on Grid Chicago (“Open Streets on Milwaukee Ave. Steal Spotlight from State Street”), Chicagoist (“Open Streets Gives a view At Post-Apocalyptic Wicker Park/Bucktown”), and Our Urban Times, (“Wicker Park Bucktown SSA #33 Seeks Feedback on Open Streets.”)
Bucktown Business Featured Neighborhoods Residential Updates Wicker Park
leah, 8 months ago
I agree. The event was VERY cool. I liked how everything was free… the four square,dunk booth etc. Not sure it should cost that much in tax dollars, BUT i enjoyed it and hope they do it next year.
james, 8 months ago
70k is WAY too much..and the footprint should have been from Damen to Western. Too many dead spots.
SJ, 8 months ago
I believe the unnamed person is Ron Burke
Executive Director of the ATA.
Anonymous, 8 months ago
Maybe I was there at a weird time (4pm) at a weird place (from Paulina to North) but it was not cool…just weird. Other than a few stray bikes in the street, there were cops imploring pedestrians to “stay on the sidewalk” and not be in the street. I had a very negative impression and do not support tax payer dollars going toward the event from what i saw.
nb, 8 months ago
The event ended at 3pm. Otherwise you would not have been told to get out of the street. I thought it was a great event, but agree that it could have been just from Damen to Ashland. It felt very freeing. I loved to see kids playing, yoga, and dancing in the street. I wish more restaurants would have taken advantage of the opportunity and had more outdoor seating options so you could enjoy your meal outside in a car-free area.
Roger Riles, 8 months ago
I was there most of the day- meh, not so cool. Where were all the businesses on the strip?
Waaay to long at 15 blocks. ActiveTrans bit off more than they could chew
chicago-pipeline, 8 months ago
A source close to the matter shared with us that he heard LAZ will bill the city $150,000 for the meters. Thus, that would potentially make the cost of event $220,000 (including the $50,000 to ATA and the $20,000 for the skateboard park, both paid through the SSA #33). If 10,000 people hypothetically attended Open Streets (and I think that might be a stretch), that would be $4.40 per hour of taxpayer dollars per attendee and $22 per attendee for all 5 hours if you break it down that way. Unfortunately no one is happy about LAZ having to be paid whenever there’s special event street closures, but considering the cost due to them is over twice the cost of the event itself, that kind of sucks.
Anonymous, 8 months ago
I’m curious to know who the source is. Check youre facts! To the best of my knowledge, this is false information.
Anonymous, 8 months ago
Then back up “your knowledge” with your supposed facts. A call to LAZ should garner some numbers, didn’t you do that?
chicago-pipeline, 8 months ago
of course i did. feel free to call them and ask for kevin their spokesman i believe as i was rerouted to him and will call again tomorrow. i also called an andrea in the city’s office of special events which would be the dept. working with laz on street closures for special events. additionally a gentleman that has a traffic themed blog is working on a FOIA to find out exactly how many meters are on that route. from what i understood from him, laz bills the city either $22 or $26 per car length space per day if street is shut down more than five hours. lastly the person who shared the 150K number with us got it from an elected official who was making an educated guess based on information that we are in the process of getting ALL of the full facts on before we disclose our sources. thanks for your interest and comment.
Leah, 8 months ago
If that is true, I take my comment back. The parking meter situation is maddening. It shouldn’t cost $220,000 of tax payers $$ to shut down the streets for a couple of hours for some fun with bikes, dogs, kids.
Buster, 8 months ago
That parking meter “deal” just continues to bite our fair city in the butt. What a poor decision to give up the parking and agree to such ludicrous terms.
chicago-pipeline, 8 months ago
Agreed, Buster. Just a correction, it’s Anne in Special Events, not Andrea, and she just told me that CDOT handles all of the permitting for special events and working with LAZ. Based on a reply that Transportation Commissioner Gabe Klein gave to me on NPR last week (when I called in to inquire about Open Streets), something to the effect of “I don’t think the city should stop holding cultural and recreational events because we have to pay the meters,” I believe he would be the one to know the answer to this question.
chicago-pipeline, 8 months ago
FOIA sent to CDOT, below:
Alisa Hauser
XXX XXX
Chicago, IL 60622
To Whom It May Concern,
I am requesting information on:
1) The Number of LAZ-owned parking metered spaces from Milwaukee and Ashland Ave. to Milwaukee and Western Ave. on both sides of the street.
Milwaukee Ave., from Ashland to Western, was closed to vehicular traffic from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Sept 16th. Cars parked along Milwaukee Ave. were towed beginning at 5 a.m. in conjunction with Active Transportation Alliance’s Open Streets event.
It is my understanding that in the event of street closures that are over five hours, the city must compensate LAZ for meter revenue.
2) Please provide the amount of dollars, if any, billed to the City of Chicago from LAZ for the LAZ-owned meters affected by the 8-hour street closure on Sunday, Sept. 16th beginning at 5 a.m. when cars were towed along Milwaukee Ave. See attached Towing Alert issued by the Active Transportation Alliance reflecting an 8-hour street closure.
3) Please provide the amount billed from LAZ to the City for missed meter revenues due to Special Events since the inception of the contract with LAZ.
Many thanks, and please feel free to call me at 773-960-3997 with any questions about this inquiry.
Sincerely,
Alisa Hauser
chicago-pipeline.com