Back in 2007, when Mayor Daley was unveiling his Olympic plans, he promised the games would bring a swimming pool to the west side.
The Olympic committee’s plans for the west side have always been a work in progress. Originally the mayor proposed building the aquatic center at the University of Illinois at Chicago, but the plans were changed to appease west-side alderman Ed Smith.
Best of Chicago voting is live now. Vote for your favorites »
They made a point of telling reporters they weren’t caving in to some lowly alderman. No, they said, they were motivated by the desire to leave a “legacy” for families in the area, including kids who might be inspired to train for a future Olympics.
Then, last December, without explanation, Mayor Daley and his planners announced that they would be putting the aquatics center in Washington Park instead, and that they were going to build a $37.1 million velodrome—an indoor bicycling track—near Collins High. Two months later, Chicago’s official bid book alluded to the cycling track in a way that suggested still more plans were afoot for the area around the school. “In Douglas Park, the velodrome will be able to serve as both an elite track cycling venue and a multisport facility,” it said.
Chicago 2016 spokesman Patrick Sandusky says the velodrome/sports complex won’t get built unless the city gets an infusion of funds from Olympics sponsors: “No Games = No Money = No Multi-Sport facility,” he clarifies.
Alderman Sharon Dixon, whose 24th Ward includes Douglas Park, said she knew nothing about it. “No one told me,” she said.
