Maggie Daley Park

Reviews 3

BR

Brett Gensler

As an adult who lives in the Loop and does not have children, it is a shame that the Park District has replaced the old Daley Park, which provided outdoor space for visitors of all ages with a park that is geared only towards children. Yes, the park was packed with people when I went, but navigating the endlessly winding (and dead-ending) sidewalks was tedious. These tortuous walkways occupy too much of what might otherwise be green space. Additionally, the terrain is constantly changing elevation which creates opportunities for people and kids to fall and be hurt. In fact, one steep incline near the main play area was being avoided by everyone because it ended in a metal support structure. Very unsafe. The alien looking light tripods are extremely ugly and disrupt the skyline. The short old-fashioned lights are a nice touch. I understand that bright lighting is necessary for a park, but something less invasive/more minimal would have been better. The lights look menacing and odd now. Poor design choice that obstructs an iconic skyline. One of my biggest gripes is the bait and switch regarding dogs being allowed in the park. Mike Kelly of the Park District tried to defend the reversal on allowing dogs in the park by saying that people let their dogs off leash in parks. He seems to forget where the park is located – in the Loop. In the 4 years that I have lived by Millennium Park, I have never seen a dog off leash. Who wants their dog hit by a car? Secondly, the park is patrolled by the same staff that monitors Millennium Park. If there is concern about off leash dogs, then the park monitors can address it. They are already addressing anyone who comes to the park with a dog now, so they have the time/resources to handle park compliance communication for dog walkers. Thirdly, Kelly manipulated data when he stated that 95% of parks in Chicago allow dogs. That may be true if we include suburban parks, but this park is in the Loop. All 14 blocks of green-ish space bounded by Randolph, Michigan, Monroe and LSD are now dog prohibited areas. That makes dog prohibited park area within the Loop about 50%. Fourthly, Kiera Ellis, also of the Park District, noting that there are two dog parks in the greater downtown area is ridiculous. Grant Bark Park and Lake Shore East Park are about 1.5 miles from one another. For individuals living in the Loop (not at the midpoint between these two parks), they will have to walk over a mile on average just to get to a green place that allows dogs. Last on my current list is the way they integrated the Cancer Survivors Garden into the larger park. What a mis-step. As someone whose life has been affected by cancer, I enjoyed this quiet contemplative garden. Being able to sit in this quiet enclave in the middle of the busy city was refreshing. Now, the surrounding line of trees and the bush barriers have been torn down and a major traffic channel to the park runs alongside it. Look at old pictures of the CSG and compare it to what they have now. They tore down all the trees without touching anything else. Why disturb a great park? My guess is that they aimed to eliminate secluded areas out of concern for safety. In all the time that I had been at the CSG, I have never seen anyone dangerous or felt unsafe. That is definitely not the case in all Chicago parks, but this is kind of my point: they planned this park like it was located in a transitional suburban neighborhood – but it’s not. I feel like Maggie Daley Park planners were completely out of touch with the positives that the old park offered and had tunnel vision on excessively creative objectives for the new park. Maggie Daley Park meets some needs for certain people, but for me, it is a big disappointment.

VA

Vanessa Arzu

This place is a absolutely stunning place for every visitor and Chicagoans alike!!! There is a little for everyone! Family oriented, kid-friendly, romantic friendly, animal friendly, nature friendly; There is a little bit for everyone!!!! While many people with children find themselves at the park, there are a few quiet spots on the Randolf street side, across from Marianos. I love to read and I go there because it is almost always quiet, aside from festivals and other activities. Everyone is pretty friendly and respect your space. The view there is absolutely stunning! My favorite of a million favorites in Chicago; The view! For those of you who have children, I suggest doing what I do when I tag along my nephews nieces with me. ( After losing one for 8 minutes at Navy Piers Winter Wonderland). I tag all of them. I get these name tags and wrist bands and in permanent marker, I write a note something to the effect of " If I am lost or in case if emergency call my guardian." I place two numbers, my own and another in case of emergency. I do not put the names of the kids however, for the wrong person can use that against them. Before any trip in public outings, I also have a pep talk from the smallest to the biggest. We go through the rules for fun, learning, and respect for others. The main one being "if I can not see you and you can see me thats a problem. I also express to them, if they ever get lost, seek out a police officer or security guard, or a mommy and daddy whose together. If they must ask help from a daddy, ask help from a daddy who has children. And I tell them if a stranger calls them for no reason, scream, holler,... I also may place a tag inside their pants pockets in case they lose one. The bracelets are good because the stay on. Those are my suggestions, though for the most part, the park is safe. Also, if you get hungry, instead of buying food that costs and arm and a leg, get a healthy abs delicious meal at a sensible price from Marianos. And if you are a penny pincher, the best deal is right off Michigan and Randolf ( Metra Train Station), if you go downstairs. There is burger king, a subway, a pizza restaurant, a taco restaurant, a healthy shake place, and even a nice lounge for those of you who wants to take drink. It is a lovely place to be at all times.

JA

Jaclyn Stuard

Lovely playground. Lots to do, especially with children over 5. Would have given five stars, but there were some disappointing bits. Mostly the lack of toddler friendly activities, activity spaces that are too small for the toddler population, or activities that were in disrepair. The swing sets for the little ones are always full and theres a queue, especially in the summer, and theres no place to get out of thw sun and heat while waiting either. The harbor area (with wooden boats and a dock) is great, but the uneven ground is very tricky on the toddlers, plus the area is often populated with kids too old and they area bit rambunctious to keep things safe for the wee ones. The forest play area was shaded and had a little mirror area for her to run in, but a third of the mirrors were damaged and removed, so it was a bit unsightly (missing spots just black boards covered in old glue) and far less...magical. If you want to get the most out of your visit, do the following: 1. Come on a weekday 2. Wear ample sunscreen, maybe a hat. Protect yourself from the sun. 3. Travel light so you dont have to worry so much about your things while you play. Most areas, while not officially restricting bringing in your stroller with you, dont have room for multiple strollers in the play area. 4. Dont be in a hurry. You will likely have to wait, especially in the summer, and being rushed will just make ya miserable. 5. Avoid holiday weekends or any holiday, really, if youre coming to play. We went on memorial day weekend and every section had a long line, and people dont seem to care that ither children want to play. If youre downtown and just lookin for a playground for a wee one, there are other options. They arent as big or diverse, but your kid wont, as reliably, have to wait to play as long. Id recommend Fulton River Park on DesPlaines and Kinzie for kida 12 and under. Swings, slides, monkey bars. Maggie Daley is a sometimes visit for my girl and I. And now we follow my steps listed above when we go. Excited for the bigger kids play areas. The nunber of toddler safe play areas is few. But you can find a grassy area for picnics and frisbee easily, or a nice game of catch. Definitely worth checking out.

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