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Meigs Field - 10 Years Later
Today marks the tenth anniversary of the sudden overnight destruction of Meigs Field by former Mayor Richard M. Daley. The dramatic and perhaps illegal closure of the airfield stranded 16 aircraft and made the signature airport a thing of the past. Now it is called "Northerly Island," a rather decrepit grassland, instead of a beautiful park that Daley had envisioned or the airport that we all once knew. Today Friends of Meigs Field is performing a flyover of the former airport in… (www.chicagotribune.com) Más...Sort type: [Top] [Newest]
I flew over Meigs Field a few days afterward and silently cursed the moron Mayor and his cronies. I, too, believe that he should have been prosecuted personally and forced to pay for the removal of the aircraft stranded by his stupid, arrogant, illegal decision to destroy the airport.
I knew it was closed, but never knew why. Daley sounds like a typical Illinois politician. What was to gain by doing it in secret? Are there really planes stranded there? I have so many questions! The article mentioned a planned park. Perhaps he was paid off by a development company?
The dozen or so planes that were stranded there were allowed to fly out under special permission (I think they took off from the parallel taxiway, which was left in-tact). I doubt any development company was involved. I think it was more of a pride thing. He wanted a grand edifice park built in his honor. And yes, the only politicians that used it were downstate Republicans so that had something to do with it too. It actually would have been quite useful if the Olympics were held in Chicago, but it was not to be. There is a park there, but there isn't much to it - juts a hastily constructed outdoor amphitheater and a bunch of field grass and jogging paths. It's fairly remote on foot so not a lot of people would really use a park located there. They let the kids camp there during lollapalooza last year and as you can imagine, it was quite a shit show and I think one kid drowned.
Excellent, thanks for clearing that up. Still such a jerk move to do that, especially in secret. I used to travel to Chicago quite a bit (mostly for Giordano's lol) and loved Meigs. Such a tragic end to a great airport.
Richard Daley should have been impeached for doing this . . It shows no care,in the world for people who helped build the city or the aircraft owners .. Meigs Field should have remained open .. How many other mayors pulled off such a stunt after 9-11 ... None on record ... True arrogance at it's finest !
I still have a feeling that at some point the park will turn into private condos, offices, and businesses. Since the city owns it they can sell it. That might be why no real structure has taken place. Just letting time and people pass. I learned to fly at MDW in the late 60's and Meigs was the neatest place to land. Nearly the whole lakefront was already a park so....