The Park District may have a little budget deficit, but there’s a plan. That’s good to hear. Given the economic times, I was starting to worry about how the district would be able to afford the items at the top of its agenda.

Like the $22 million acquisition of its Streeterville-area central office from the landlord who contributed $50,000 to Mayor Daley’s campaign fund, since top staff obviously need to be near the Gold Coast.

And the $2 million (and growing) south Lincoln Park soccer field. (Hey, somebody’s got to make sure the kids at the Latin School have a place to play within walking distance.)

And the $25 million rush-job restoration of Buckingham Fountain so it can be in tip-top shape for next April’s visit by the International Olympic Committee, even if everything else (baseball batting cages, running tracks, playlots, etc.) has to wait. All together now: The Olympics comes first!

Maybe they could use the money generated by downtown parking garages–except that they already leased them to a company that employs the mayor’s nephew.

But, to his credit, parks superintendent Tim Mitchell has apparently devised a solution that I think the mayor can sign on to: getting rid of 300 park district positions–as in, you know, people who could actually work in the parks.

 

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