2016 Olympics: Divided thoughts

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On a professional level, I fear what the Olympics will do to Chicago fishing and general lakefront use, yet see a great opportunity. On a personal level, there is no question that the Olympics coming to Chicago in 2016 will be a once-in-a-lifetime chance for myself and my family.

I looked at some of the impacts, pro and con, of the Olympics on Chicago outdoors in Wednesday’s column in the Sun-Times.

My two greatest hopes when the Olympics (and I don’t think President Obama went over without some indication of a successful bid for Chicago) come in 2016 is that scenes like the one above with lakefront fishermen will add to the selling of the beauty and draw of Chicago and that Northerly Island will find some of the funds floating around to truly be built into a world-class natural urban oasis.

And, despite all the traffic and other troubles that will come in the years leading up to the Olympics, it is truly something I would like my family to experience. And would like to experience myself.

One of my greatest sporting experiences was attending a World Cup game at Soldier Field. The Olympics would dwarf that.

I’m ready for Friday, and may even join the throngs downtown or out at Toyota Park.

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