Wicker Park chess tables out, new tables installed

Wicker Park is now the home to four new metal tables each of which is bolted to a concrete pad. The chess tables, about which there has been controversy are in the midst of being removed from the Schiller and Damen Park entrance.

There are now only three completed items on a To Do List of 9 items established in March, as far as the Wicker Park Advisory Council has been advised. This reporter is attempting to get additional updates and will add to this story, if other progress has been achieved and not reported.

Background
The community was invited to attend the Wicker Park Advisory Council's (WPAC) February meeting to discuss an item from the January meeting. That item was "to coordinate all groups (Alderman, Community Groups, 14th Police District, Park District Security and Local Staff) in working together to curb vandalism, drinking and drug sales." 

There was to be a discussion about security and how to work successfully with the Park District to enact the Code of Conduct. The focus was to better manage and eliminate problems caused by disruptive individuals, such as the Crusty Punks (a.k.a. Rail Riders, Selectively Homeless and Weekend Vandals select), and develop a Community Watch Force with the Park District and 14th District Police.

Only one community group participated, the Bucktown Community Organization (BCO).

The focus of the meeting became to define one problem and determine a solution. The problem was identified as the illegal behavior, at the Schiller and Damen Park entrance, by drug buyers and sellers and by drinkers acting in disruptive manners and often verbally insulting Park patrons.

After reviewing the repeated attempts to address the 10-year problems faced by many Park users and visitors, the Council voted 14 to 1 to remove the chess tables. Clustered together somewhat secluded by trees, the chess tables were the location for drug dealing as well as drug and alcohol induced abusive behavior.

The Council was also determined to address the other Code of Conduct issues about other disruptive activity as well as allowing dogs running off leash, graffiti and vandalism at a later meeting. 

The decision to deal with illegal behavior brought an onslaught of accusations. It was stated that the Council did not like and was prejudice toward the poor, homeless and Black people who used the tables. In fact the Council and Wicker Park Garden Club pay many for working in the Park, interact with and work with those who use Wicker Park as their home, regardless of race or economic status.

Proco "Joe" Moreno, 1st Ward Alderman, encouraged more discussion about alternatives for the tables. Coupled with other issues of illegal, destructive behavior, three other factors were defined as challenges:

• recent changes in the handling of 911 calls, due to lack of police resources
• the fact that no one will be reviewing the tapes from the camera that the Alderman funded because the Chicago Police Department has high demands and not enough resources
• reductions in Park staffing locally and system-wide, due to budget cuts 

Special Planning Meeting
There was a planning meeting of WPAC members, Patrick Levar, Chicago Park District COO; Art Richardson, Chicago Park District Central Region Manager; and Moreno after the February meeting. It was to address the many issues in hopes a plan could begin to be established then discussed at the WPAC March meeting.

The community was invited to the Council's March meeting during which the topic was to be about working "to coordinate all groups (Alderman, Community Groups, 14th Police District, Park District Security and Local Staff) in working together to curb vandalism, drinking and drug sales." 

There was to be a discussion about cameras and the techniques of how to successfully work with the Park District to enact the Code of Conduct. The focus was to better manage and eliminate problems caused by disruptive individuals, such as the Crusty Punks (a.k.a. Rail Riders, Selectively Homeless and Weekend Vandals), and develop a Community Watch Force with the Park District and 14th District Police.

WPAC March Meeting
Activities, interests and intentions of the WPAC were stated, interspersed with other statements and comments from residents. Statements from three pre-registered people (Teddy Varndell, President of the Wicker Park Committee (WPC); Jim Drew, former WPC President; and Steve Jensen, BCO President who provided a written statement) were given.  A few other people commented as well. Little to no real solutions were presented.