Lincoln Park alderman wants Park District to open its playgrounds

The Chicago Park District would be mandated to open its playgrounds — even if it means imposing capacity limits — to give stir-crazy children studying remotely a place to let off steam, under an “order” introduced Wednesday by an influential alderman.

Lincoln Park Ald. Michele Smith (43rd), chairman of the Committee on Ethics and Government Operations, has been the City Council’s chief proponent of mask mandates.

In fact, the “order” she introduced at Wednesday’s Council meeting, would give the city’s Department of Public Health 30 days to “develop and implement a plan for uniform enforcement of the mask wearing requirement” including in its public health order, “including but not limited to” the issuance of fines.

But Smith said that does not mean Park District playgrounds can’t be safely reopened.

“There’s really very scant evidence that kids playing on the playground with their hands cause problems. And we know that, all over the city, many parents are disregarding it. It really sends a bad message out to people,” Smith told the Sun-Times.

“If children can wear masks at school, which they are required to at any schools that are open, they can wear masks on the playground. I’m not concerned about [the cost] because we have now learned that you don’t have to clean everything constantly — especially outside.”

The stay-at-home shutdown triggered by the coronavirus pandemic cut short the in-person school year and forced the Chicago Public Schools to end the strike-shortened school year remotely.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot initially planned to begin the new school year with a “hybrid” plan that called for all but high school seniors to attend in-person classes two days-a-week. But, the mayor abandoned that plan under pressure from the Chicago Teachers Union and parents concerned about the health risks of sending their kids to school.

On Wednesday, Smith argued there is only so long energetic kids can be stuck behind the screens of their computers.

“Many families are protesting and are concerned, especially in a dense urban environment, that their kids don’t have the opportunity for recreation that they had,” she said.

“People fought to get the lakefront open so they could go running. Little kids like to run, too. And they need the exercise.”

• Also on Wednesday, Smith introduced an ordinance aimed at closing a legal loophole that, she claimed, recently allowed a landmark building in the 2100 block of North Clark Street to fall into such a state of disrepair, it triggered an emergency demolition.

Her ordinance would make it a crime to “intentionally allow” buildings designated as Chicago landmarks to “fall into a state of disrepair.” Violators would be punished by fines ranging from $5,000 to $10,000.