Henry Hauser wasn’t looking for a fight. The 67-year-old former school principal says that being retired has been good for him and his wife, Esther. Hauser, who lives in a north-side high rise a few blocks from Irving Park and the lake, is an avid golfer. “Every day–rain or shine–I’m out here at the Waveland course playing golf. I love golf, and in my opinion this course is the nicest in the city.”
He wasn’t alone. As word of the proposed tollbooth spread, park users reacted with passionate indignation. The resulting debacle has been a classic case of public officials creating trouble that they don’t need. Now, even Park District officials are distancing themselves from the plan.
Best of Chicago voting is live now. Vote for your favorites »
The irony is that the idea was originally Robert Nelson’s. He’s the Park District’s director of special services, and his efforts–until now–have won praise. A former boat salesman, Nelson was put in charge of Park District marinas, traditionally a haven for corruption. Connie Robison, executive director of the not-for-profit group Friends of Lincoln Park, says: “Robert Nelson is one of the finest appointees [executive director] Jesse Madison has made. He has been very open and receptive to the public.”
“I say good riddance to those meters,” says Hauser. “I was happy when they removed them. They were so ugly. They marred the scenery.”
Park District officials see things differently.
“Mr. Nelson told us about his tollbooth idea at our June meeting–I guess that was June 14,” says Grace Chun, president of the council. “We came away thinking that it was definitely going to happen, at least on a test basis. From what [Nelson] said at that meeting, I thought it would be tried this summer on a trial basis.”
Tranter also argues that closing the Waveland entrance and installing a tollbooth at Irving Park will cause traffic jams.
