Robert M. O’Neill’s letter (“It’s time to spruce up park property,” April 29) couldn’t have come at a more appropriate time. Mayor Daley and the Park District announced an unprecedented $1 million initiative to plant 2,250 trees in 49 community parks.
In Grant Park, we are planting 210 disease-resistant elm trees and 175 sugarberry and hackberry trees, rehabilitating the rose gardens, resurfacing walkways and adding new flower beds between the fountain and Lake Shore Drive. And new flower beds will grace Solidarity Drive, between the Shedd Aquarium and the Adler Planetarium.
Graffiti is a persistent problem, so Chicago’s Streets and Sanitation Department’s graffiti-blaster team has joined with the Park District on a graffiti search-and-destroy mission up and down our entire lakefront and then moving on to the neighborhood parks.
We have already taken action to replace all parking meters on Park District property. We’ve reached an agreement with the city to replace old parking meters with vandal-proof meters at no expense to the district.
Finally, we have asked the media, community groups and private citizens to spread the word about the simple ways the public can help care for our parks, such as picking up litter and properly disposing of hot charcoals. Beautiful things are in store for Chicago parks, and we want everyone to come out and enjoy them.