North Harbor Drive

Grant Park Advisory Council and Conservancy update:

 
There is some very good news.
 
Construction fencing is going up to secure the area for construction, this includes both Daley Bicentennial Plaza and Peanut Park to the east which runs to Lake Shore Drive, but not including the Cancer Survivors Garden.  The fencing will take two more weeks to set up and then trees will be coming down in order to remove the soil to repair the East Monroe Garage roof and build Maggie Daley Park.   This will involve the removal of 877 trees.  The good news is that the new park will be much more interesting and innovative with much more of a nature focus than what is there now.  Also, 1000 new trees will be planted so we will actually significantly gain trees.   Additionally, 38 trees will remain at Peanut Park and those at the south end of Daley Bi, along Monroe in the Green at Grant Park, will also remain.  Many of the trees at Daley Bi are at the end of their lives and there is very little diversity of species and the ash trees will be killed by the emerald ash borer anyway.  Reclaimed wood from 160 trees will be used in the new children’s play area.  Many of the crab apple trees are already dying and the honey locust, which is the predominant tree, is not that long-lived.
 
The new trees will be a much more diverse pallette of trees with more nature-friendly species. The species of new trees is being decided now and will help attract wildlife.   What was first thought of as a total loss of many mature trees with the construction of the new park, will actually be very positive because so many of the existing trees are in poor shape, dying, diseased, or species that do not live long. All are going to be replaced with much better stock.  The Chicago Park District is working diligently to make sure that the new park is not only very nature friendly but a world-class destination.
 
Much of the park will be funded by private sources.
  
Here is break down of the trees:  
 
There are a total of 877 trees in the construction site including Peanut Park to the east where the existing Daley Bi soil will be stored.
336 are ornamental trees: currently crab apple trees and magnolia. 
541 are shade trees: currently honey locust, white ash, elm, Norway maple. 
160 of the mature trees will be reused in the new children’s play area.
256 honey locust are currently at Daley Bicentennial Plaza.  This is not good in that there is little diversity.
1000 new trees will be planted in the new Maggie Daley Park. 
38-40 trees will be saved at Peanut Park.  
The trees at the small golf course on Monroe will be saved.  
When Maggie Daley Park is complete near the end of 2014/beginning of 2015, there will hundreds of new trees planted, many beautiful amenities including a world-class children’s play area, vistas of Lake Michigan and an ice skating ribbon, meadows and natural areas.  The new park will be a truly great honor to a wonderful person who made countless contributions to the cultural, park, and educational fabric of Chicago.  
Finally, we encouraged the Chicago Park District to hire wildlife experts to help with the existing wildlife and they have done so.