Urban serenity
It’s been seven years since Mayor Daley snatched Northerly Island back from the politicians and other fatcats who’d been using it as their personal downtown airport and returned this cornerstone of Daniel Burnham’s vision for the lakefront to the people of Chicago. However, the city has not had the money to redevelop the ninety-one acre peninsula just south of Museum Campus, which is actually just fine by us. In this interim, it’s become an oasis in the bustling metropolis, where wildflowers and birds outnumber the mostly runners and bicyclers who traverse its paths. The absence of “attractions” and its distance from most tourist meccas and parking lots means it’s never overrun with people or noise. (Except of course, for the Charter One Pavilion on show nights at its northern end.) A blueprint has just been announced for park development, with a vision that expands on its existing charms, but funding in this economy is far from imminent. No complaints here though; we’re perfectly content to enjoy our secluded spot, one with an attraction that cannot be replicated anywhere: breathtaking views of the city’s skyline, lakefront and the lake itself.
Audience choice:
Music/Concerts at Charter One Pavilion
Others that were mentioned a few times, amused us or seemed especially weird: “Walking through the prairie grass and feeling like you’re a million miles away, only to turn around and see the skyline in front of you.”; “That it’s shaped like a penis sticking out of Chicago”
Best of Chicago 2010
