As a long-time customer and a new member of the Whole Foods Co-Op, I am looking forward to the expanded space the new facility will provide. The current building has a long and varied history. North Shore Freight was the Cook County version of Fed-Ex and UPS. Bobby Don’s was an early version of a dance club. The building has been altered a few times— including the addition of local mosaic art, designed and produced by staff and young students from the fine school system.
There has been much emotion and debate about the mosaic wall (and sidewalk). I don’t claim to have all the facts, but it seems to me that saving the wall is not a practical solution. Perhaps the young people who participated in the initial project(s) could be recruited to design and oversee new groups of students in creating an even better (wall) project? That would exponentially increase the number of people invested in that artistic contribution.
As for the mural in the Jane Mianowski Conference Room at School District 166, I see that differently. It should be preserved. Perhaps the village library could be moved to that west end space of the high school? The community and school library and resources could be combined (not an uncommon practice). The Birney Quick mural could be featured in its current location. The current library downtown could be converted to the new community center. The current community center could be converted into a swimming pool/ curling club, which the school could then use. And the current swimming pool could be converted into an animal shelter. I’m not sure about the horse park. Perhaps it could be used as a community garden?
In any case, public expenditures of money (schools, libraries, community centers, etc) must be looked at differently than private expenditures (i.e., co-op, the Garage, etc.). Am I misreading public opinion about building a new community center? It seems like 90% of the community is opposed to this project at this time. Could that issue be put to a vote?
It seems the soundproof wall constructed around the planners should be dismantled.
Stephen Jacobsen
Hovland
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