Friends of the Parks Calls for Direct Investment and Park Benefits from Developers for the Southeast Side of the South Works Redevelopment

Chicago, IL -- Friends of the Parks (FOTP), a long-time advocate for equitable parks and green spaces, is calling on Related Midwest, the City of Chicago, and the State of Illinois to commit to four key benefits for the Southeast Side community and its parks as part of the $9 billion redevelopment of the historic South Works Site on Chicago’s Southeast Side at 8080 S. DuSable Lake Shore Drive. 

“Southeast Side residents have long advocated for investment that addresses historic disinvestment, environmental contamination, and the need for equitable access to the lakefront”, says FOTP’s Executive Director, Brian Gladstein. “We stand with our partners as part of the Coalition for a South Works CBA, urging a binding agreement between residents, developers, the City of Chicago, and the State of Illinois.” 

Within the broader call for a Community Benefits Agreement, FOTP is advancing a set of commitments focused specifically on ensuring meaningful investments, protections and benefits that uphold the public’s right to safe, accessible, and healthy public parks and lakefront spaces. 

FOTP’s Southeast Side Parks Benefits & Commitments include the following. 1) Establish a Southeast Side Community Fund, 2) create a Southeast Lakefront Framework Plan, 3) fully remediate toxic land & conduct ongoing environmental monitoring, and 4) guarantee public access & prohibit surveillance in public spaces. 

For the full description of FOTP’s Benefits & Commitments see this link. 

According to Gladstein, “These commitments set immediate expectations for investments and benefits while establishing a framework for long-term community-led park planning on the Southeast Side. FOTP envisions a collaborative partnership with the Chicago Park District, Related Midwest, and community residents to ensure that the project advances environmental protection and meaningful community leadership and public access to Chicago parks and the lakefront.” 

“FOTP invites community members, partner organizations, and allies citywide to sign in support of the Southeast Side Parks Benefits & Commitments. The sign-on effort aims to demonstrate collective public support for investments into the Southeast Side’s parks, environmental protections and guaranteed public access as part of the South Works redevelopment,” says FOTP’s Advocacy & Policy Manager, Hannah Williams. 

Community members and supporters are urged to sign on to FOTP’s benefits here. 

For more information contact Hannah Williams, (610) 715-9770, Hannahw@fotp.org.