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Local Activists Create Web Petition To Save Old Growth Trees in OAK PARK from Eminent Destruction (Click Here to Sign)

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July 9, 2007

Oak Park Residents and Neighbors Gather With Only a Few Hours Notice to Protest the Destruction of 120 Year Old Trees to Make an Olympic Sized Soccer Field for Young Children.

On One of the Hottest Days of the Year, with Temperatures Approaching 100 Degrees Fahrenheit, Oak Parkers Gather In the Shade of a Tree Slated for Killing.
© Suburban Journals of Chicago photo

commentary by Ed Vincent

It was a hot day, the kind of a day when it might be nice to be in a pool, a movie, or an air conditioned room. Short notice with a few phone calls and emails brought a large group of Oak Parkers from their comforts to the protest at Field Park. Many of the citizens had little or no idea about the pending destruction of many trees--deforestation in Oak Park. Field Park is adjacent to the Horace Mann Elementary School where
many of the children present are going to school, and where
many of the children had been taught about recycling, protecting the earth, eating good food, and being a good citizen of the whole planet. Many of the younger kids wondered why
Oak Park would destroy large mature trees when they had learned in school about clear cutting in countries like Brazil
and all the trouble that had caused.

Some parents told us that they were convinced that some of the
private soccer clubs, clubs where a thousand dollars was spent
a year per child, were responsible for the lobbying of this
current effort. Parents with kids on teams of more meager
means had no problem driving their kids to other areas for practice.

Dr. Golden Reads a Letter sent to Residents about the Park with NO
mention of Killing trees.

Oak Park Arborist and Activist Kathryn Jonas speaks on her calls to
Oak Park Leaders.

The Temperature Increases as More People Arrive to Voice Their Opposition to Killing the Mature and Majestic Trees who call Field Park Home, some for over a Century.
© Suburban Journals of Chicago photo

The group of citizens grew larger as the time passed. Some
people not at the meeting said that they would be happy to chain themselves to trees to prevent their destruction. There
were children present who wanted to know why the trees had
to be cut down, there were no good answers for their honest
questions....

Many people spoke to me of their displeasure with how things were going in Oak Park at all levels and I encouraged them to join or form a party or run as independents for some board in town.

Park Board Members and Personnel Arrive to Answer
Chicago News Crews and Confront Protesters.
© Suburban Journals of Chicago photo

Barbara Mullarky Speaks about poor communication from the Parks,
Short Notice, Inaccurate Numbers and Statements, Taxes, and then
Polls Local Neighbors.

Dr. Golden discusses Soccer size field and killing trees, and South Side
Oak Parkers destroying North Oak Park Parks.

Executive Director, Gary Balling Shows Drawings of the Park
and Announces Meeting Time for the Coming Thursday.
© Suburban Journals of Chicago photo

Executive Director, Gary Balling spoke to some of the residents
and tried to placate some of their oppositions to not only the designs and noted destruction to the grove of trees, but also to
their vocal complaints of surprise tactics, as they saw them.

Mr. Balling said, "We will not cut any trees down until Thursday." He later added that it would not be until after the
meeting on Thursday night. Neighbors asked why they had not
heard anything from anyone about the loss of trees to the park.
Mr. Balling said that the plans had been on the website, while
residents answered that the parks website is not their homepage
or their favorite site to visit. Mr. Balling responded by adding
that the information had also been available on the Cable Channel 6 in Oak Park. An elementary school girl from Mann
asked Mr. Balling why the cable channel never said anything about cutting trees down and only about improving the park?
Young Nina Staller was not given an answer.

Executive Director, Gary Balling added that the project contract
had already been signed. He noted that there would be a meeting on the coming Thursday in the park at 7:30pm. Some
of the folks felt that this meant they might get listened to after all and perhaps things might get better for the future of the trees. Much of this was dashed on the rocks when Mr. Balling added; "The project will go forward, it needs to go forward."

This email link will Mail All Parks Officials Below at Once

Executive Director, Gary Balling
     garyb@oakparkparks.com, 383-0002 (w) , 386-9226 (h)
President, Mark Gartland,
     markg@oakparkparks.com, 386-4505
Commissioners
     Marty Bracco, martyb@oakparkparks.com, 524-2094
     Christine Graves, christineg@oakparkparks.com, 725-2714
     Lise Valentine, lisev@oakparkparks.com, 763-0702
     Jessica Bullock, jessicab@oakparkparks.com, 445-8194

Local Activists Create Web Petition To Save Old Growth Trees in
OAK PARK from Eminent Destruction (Click Here to Sign)

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