Bucktown Park

I wonder if they are done with this park. An article on October 3, 2007 said it was to be done at the end of November. I want to see the “art wall” they are installing.

They are installing an “art wall” to display a rotation of local artists’ work. I’m curious about the type of work and how they will display it out in the open public.

The park should open in late november 2007.

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Bucktown park nearly finished

October 3, 2007
by MARK LAWTON Staff Writer

A Bucktown park in the works for more than four years is within months of completion, say Chicago Park District officials.

A half-acre park on the 2100 block of West Wabansia is scheduled to be finished by the end of November, said Jim McGreevy, project manager, who works in the park district’s Capital Construction Department.

Originally, completion was scheduled for the summer, but the park district ran into a couple obstacles. First, the Chicago Department of Water Management asked for a revision of the water drainage plan for the site with the aim of reducing water runoff from the site and into the city storm sewers.

The second obstacle was concrete slabs that were found buried underground. The slabs were left over from a factory that was once on the site (it also served as a staging area for horse carriages at one time) and took time to remove.

Part of the former factory, however, will be incorporated into the park. A wall will be used to display works by local artists, an idea that came from the Chicago Public Art Group, a 35-year-old nonprofit that aims to support interactions between artists and communities.

“(An art wall) is a relatively new idea,” said Jon Pounds, director. “It bridges the (time) of an arts fair with (longer display time of) galleries and museums. The art is up long enough for consideration and interest but not permanently.”

The park district purchased the land around 2001 or 2002 for $1.2 million, said McGreevy. The district has budgeted an additional $911,000 to transform it into park.

When complete, the park will feature perimeter and a diagonal walkway, lighting, park benches, drinking fountain, iron fence and trash containers.

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(I added the bolding)