49th Ward The Last Four Miles
Frederick Law Olmstead and Calvin Vaux hired to design Jackson and Washington Parks
Grant Park designated as “forever open, clear and free of buildings”
2,000 acres of new lakefront parkland were carefully engineered and shaped
Comprehensive Plan of Chicago notes that the Lake Michigan shoreline is a priceless asset
Friends of the Parks launches The Last Four Miles initiative
2009
2006
1966
1920 1950
1911
1909
1870
1850s Lincoln Park begun by conversion of a cemetary to a 50-acre park
Burnham Centennial Celebration and completion of the Last Four Miles Plan
“The lakefront by right belongs to the people... not a foot of its shores should be appropriated to the exclusion of the people.” Daniel Burnham 1909 Plan of Chicago
SOUTH LAKEFRONT
NORTH LAKEFRONT
PROPOSED NORTH LAKEFRONT DESIGN
The Last Four Miles
The Last Four Miles
A Plan to Complete Chicago’s Lakefront Park System
Peter Kindel and Peter Kindel and Kareeshma Ali Merchant Kareeshma Ali Merchant 49th Ward Ward 49
The lakefront is Chicago’s beauty, its wonder and its playground. Very few cities can boast The is Chicago’s beauty, itsthe wonder and itsspace playground. It is theto over the beauty of 26 lakefront miles of shoreline parks—and breathing they provide image of Chicago across the globe. No other city can boast the beauty of 26 nine million people live inparks this region. Those parks didn’t just happen: ofnine the miles of who shoreline — and the breathing space they provide toone over strongest themes Chicago is the claiming reclaiming of the for the millioninpeople whohistory live in this region. Yet,and those parks didn’t just lakeshore happen. One health, well being and enjoyment people. In theis1909 Plan of Chicago, Daniel of the strongest themesofinits Chicago history the claiming and reclaiming of natural wonders the lakeshore for thepark health, well-being enjoyment Burnham laidthe out his vision of anofunbroken shoreline stretching theand entire length of itsdream people.is unfulfilled. In the 1909 Four Plan of Chicago, Daniel laid outpark his vision the city. Yet, of the miles are not part Burnham of the lakefront system— of an unbroken shoreline park stretching the entire length of the city. There two at the north two atofthe south.parks Instead, they are off there limitsare to the wereand six miles shoreline in 1909. Today, 26. public— Yet, the dream undeveloped, unconnected or simply off.not The Last Four Miles initiative, launched remains to be fulfilled. Fourfenced miles are part of the continuous lakefront park by the Friends of Parks, is a vision foroff closing renewing theunconnected, civic system. Instead, they are limits those to the gaps publicand — undeveloped, off, even in park-poor commitmentortofenced complete Chicago’s publicneighborhoods. lakefront parks.The Last Four Miles initiative, launched by the Friends of Parks is a vision for closing those gaps and renewing the civic commitment to complete Chicago’s public lakefront parks.
16
16
16
9
49th Ward The Last Four Miles Peter Kindel Kareeshma Ali Merchant
restaurants shops
grocers
coffee
10
m
in
parks
15
EL stops bike paths bus lines
4
5
10
ut
e
w
al
k
Grant Park designated as “forever open, clear and free of buildings”
2,000 acres of new lakefront parkland were carefully engineered and shaped
Comprehensive Plan of Chicago notes that the Lake Michigan shoreline is a priceless asset
Friends of the Parks launches The Last Four Miles initiative
2009
2006
1966
1920 1950
1911
1909
1870
1850s Lincoln Park begun by conversion of a cemetary to a 50-acre park
Burnham Centennial Celebration and completion of the Last Four Miles Plan
“The lakefront by right belongs to the people... not a foot of its shores should be appropriated to the exclusion of the people.” Daniel Burnham 1909 Plan of Chicago
SOUTH LAKEFRONT
NORTH LAKEFRONT
PROPOSED NORTH LAKEFRONT DESIGN
The Last Four Miles
The Last Four Miles
A Plan to Complete Chicago’s Lakefront Park System
Peter Kindel and Peter Kindel and Kareeshma Ali Merchant Kareeshma Ali Merchant 49th Ward Ward 49
The lakefront is Chicago’s beauty, its wonder and its playground. Very few cities can boast The is Chicago’s beauty, itsthe wonder and itsspace playground. It is theto over the beauty of 26 lakefront miles of shoreline parks—and breathing they provide image of Chicago across the globe. No other city can boast the beauty of 26 nine million people live inparks this region. Those parks didn’t just happen: ofnine the miles of who shoreline — and the breathing space they provide toone over strongest themes Chicago is the claiming reclaiming of the for the millioninpeople whohistory live in this region. Yet,and those parks didn’t just lakeshore happen. One health, well being and enjoyment people. In theis1909 Plan of Chicago, Daniel of the strongest themesofinits Chicago history the claiming and reclaiming of natural wonders the lakeshore for thepark health, well-being enjoyment Burnham laidthe out his vision of anofunbroken shoreline stretching theand entire length of itsdream people.is unfulfilled. In the 1909 Four Plan of Chicago, Daniel laid outpark his vision the city. Yet, of the miles are not part Burnham of the lakefront system— of an unbroken shoreline park stretching the entire length of the city. There two at the north two atofthe south.parks Instead, they are off there limitsare to the wereand six miles shoreline in 1909. Today, 26. public— Yet, the dream undeveloped, unconnected or simply off.not The Last Four Miles initiative, launched remains to be fulfilled. Fourfenced miles are part of the continuous lakefront park by the Friends of Parks, is a vision foroff closing renewing theunconnected, civic system. Instead, they are limits those to the gaps publicand — undeveloped, off, even in park-poor commitmentortofenced complete Chicago’s publicneighborhoods. lakefront parks.The Last Four Miles initiative, launched by the Friends of Parks is a vision for closing those gaps and renewing the civic commitment to complete Chicago’s public lakefront parks.
16
16
16
9
49th Ward The Last Four Miles Peter Kindel Kareeshma Ali Merchant
restaurants shops
grocers
coffee
10
m
in
parks
15
EL stops bike paths bus lines
4
5
10
ut
e
w
al
k
