Parkside is safe! Earlier today I received the following email from the Mark Stebbins Community Center letting us know they’re NOT going to destroy our community garden at Parkside, and will be seeking an alternate site for their project, phew!
(Backstory: HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE.)
As I said to the organizers via email as well, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to the Stebbins family and those involved who chose to keep their word and not break promises they made to West Side neighbors at our prior meetings.
I am confident the right space will be found that can serve the needs of the community without destroying our park, community garden, and the nature of an established residential area.
Just goes to show, when people communicate open and honestly, when you film your interactions at public meetings so that you have a record of what was said (I won a landmark lawsuit making it legal to film cops… if you’re taking taxpayer money… On the job, on the record!), and when neighbors stand together, we can accomplish great things! Turns out, sometimes, just sometimes, you CAN fight City Hall… and win!
Here is the letter that was submitted to the Board of Alderman:
