In a surprise move, the Chicago Park District demolished the Lincoln Park Gun Club early Tuesday morning, provoking anger from some park activists who had hoped to save the 76-year-old building.
By the time the sun rose, park district workers were slamming a wrecking ball into the two-story clubhouse that had once overlooked Lake Michigan east of Diversey Harbor. By 10 a.m., half of the blue and white building lay on the ground–a pile of broken glass, splintered two-by-fours and shattered concrete.
The park district–which has been at odds with some residents over the fate of the clubhouse–made no formal announcement prior to the razing.
“This is a perfect example of our renegade, runaway park district that thinks it can do whatever it wants no matter what the citizens’ wishes are,” said Peter Donoghue, president of the Lakeview Citizens Council, who wanted the structure restored. “Just because the city couldn’t figure out a way to make a profit off the building, they tore it down.”
But Julie Gray, Lakefront Region Manager for the park district, said demolition conforms with the city’s long-range plans for the Lincoln Park area. Once the debris is removed, she said, the city will landscape the area.
“We feel it was a blighted area, and we wanted to return it to green space,” Gray said. “And we feel strongly that demolition is consistent with the communities’ commitment to green space.”
Gray said Park District General Supt. Forrest Claypool decided to raze the building after he met with park activists last week and received 200 petitions supporting demolition.
Gray said park officials began notifying community leaders Tuesday morning after demolition was well under way.
Erma Tranter, executive director of Friends of the Park, called the park district’s decision to demolish a “betrayal of public trust” that violates city ordinances.
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