Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel's proposal to use parkland as a site for Barack Obama's presidential library received a boost when the Chicago Park District gave its approval.
The University of Chicago's bid for the library depends on using land in either Jackson Park or Washington Park on the city's South Side.
The park district voted unanimously Wednesday to transfer 20 acres in either park to the city for the library's use.
“I am committed to moving heaven and earth to ensure that the Obama Presidential Library makes its home on Chicago's south or west side, not on Manhattan's Upper West Side," Mayor Rahm Emanuel said in a statement Wednesday. "As the city where President Obama started his career in public service and raised his family, Chicago is united in its effort to welcome the President's legacy and the foundation of his future civic initiatives. Today’s action by the Park District is another step toward ensuring we've met the President's request to secure the three finalist sites.”
The proposed use of park land has generated opposition due to fears it will open the door for more land acquisitions that could chop away at park district land.
The University of Chicago is competing with the University of Illinois at Chicago, Columbia University in New York, and the University of Hawaii in Honolulu to host the Obama Library.
