A Livable City
Mayor Richard M. Daley sought to make Chicago a well-functioning, “livable” city. He sought to improve the delivery of basic services and fix eyesores. He took measures to improve housing. He promoted reforms in public schools and the city parks, and he embarked on programs to beautify the city and create cultural attractions.
Forrest Claypool, Mayor Daley’s chief of staff (1989-1991 and 1998-1999), explains why making Chicago “livable” was important:
Schools
[img: Mayor Richard M. Daley visits a classroom at the Noble School, 1999. Richard M. Daley papers, University of Illinois at Chicago Library, EXH_RMD16_07_0146_0001_002]
Daley took on public school reform. In 1995, he won the authority from the Illinois General Assembly to appoint the Chicago Public Schools board, effectively making him responsible for the schools’ performance.
Forrest Claypool, the mayor’s chief of staff (1989-1991 and 1998-1999), explains that one reason Daley took on school reform was to make the city more attractive to middle-class residents:
[clip: RMDOH_01_claypool_forrest_20170922_002802_002920_schools]
Paul Vallas, discusses some of the reforms he pursued after the mayor appointed him CEO of the Chicago Public Schools (1995-2001):
[clip: RMDOH_01_vallas_paul_20180420_002938_003109_school]
[img: A letter signed by Mayor Richard M. Daley urges businesses to give time off to parents who wish to take their children to school on the first day of classes, August 4, 2000. Richard M. Daley papers, University of Illinois at Chicago Library. RMD16_03_0359_0001_017]
Arne Duncan, CEO of Chicago Public Schools (2001-2008), recalls the mayor’s admonition to “do the right thing by kids” regardless of how controversial:
[clip: RMDOH_01_duncan_arne_20180123_001841_002019_schools]
Mellody Hobson, president of Ariel Investments in Chicago, reflects on Daley’s efforts to reform the schools:
[clip: RMDOH_01_hobson_mellody_20180522_002254_002609_Schools]
Green Chicago
Beautification and environment
Daley endorsed programs aimed at making Chicago more environmentally friendly and a more pleasant place to live.
Planting trees, and encouraging rooftop gardens, and cleaning up “brown fields” (industrial waste sites) were among the many initiatives he supported.
[img: Photos of RMD planting trees with students [RMD16_07_0072_0004_001_010/015] [note: Needs to be sent to photo lab as of March 19, 2020]
[img: image of or document about Brownfields] [note: Needs to be sent to photo lab as of March 19, 2020]
[img: Document discussing the promotion of green roofs and flower boxes [3-304-1] [note: Needs to be sent to photo lab as of March 19, 2020]
Lori Healy, Daley’s chief of staff (2007-2009), remembers that the mayor drew inspiraton from other cities’ efforts to beautify their landscape:
[clip: RMDOH_01_healey_lori_20171027_000710_000934_Develop]
Parks
[img: Mayor Richard M. Daley with children at Chicago's museum campuse, June 4, 1998. Richard M. Daley papers, University of Illinois at Chicago Library. EXH_RMD16_07_0162_0011_007a-Edit]
Under Daley’s stewardship, the Chicago Park District reformed its personnel policies, added hundreds of acres of park land [note: verify this claim and try to get an exact number], and redirected its focus to entice Chicagoans to city parks.
Forrest Claypool details the changes he made after Daley appointed him Superintendent of the Chicago Park District (1993-1998):
[clip: RMDOH_01_claypool_forrest_20170922_001542_001928_parkdistrict]
[img: Mayor Richard M. Daley with members of the O'Halleran Park Advisory Council, July 26, 2008. Richard M. Daley papers, University of Illinois at Chicago Library. RMD16_07_0473_0007_001]
Gery Chico remembers doing “something about fun” every day when he ran the Chicago Park District (2007-2010):
[clip: RMDOH_01_chico_gery_20171101_003229_003404_parkdistrict]
[img: Fishing Derby photos available] [note: Needs to be sent to photo lab as of March 19, 2020]
A new park: Northerly Island and Meigs Field
[img: image about Meigs Field: but a “vivid” document is acceptable if necessary.] [note: Needs to be sent to photo lab as of March 19, 2020]
Expanding parkland sometimes involved difficult decisions. One example was Daley’s advocacy for a new park at Northerly Island near downtown. This land, near Chicago’s museum campus, was the site of Meigs Field, a small airport.
[quote: RMD speech about Northerly Island, pre-plowing] [note: Dan needs to research and find good quotation]
Others, however, disagreed with Daley:
Quote: [note: counterpoint to RMD] [note: Dan needs to research and find good quotation]
On [note: date needed], Daley secretly ordered the landing strip at Meigs Field plowed with large X’s. That decision effectively destroyed the airport and enabled the city to create a new open space.
Sheila O’Grady, Daley’s chief of staff (2000-2005), recalls the mayor feared Meigs Field posed a security threat in light of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks less than two years prior:
[clip: RMDOH_01_ogrady_sheila_20171027_003413_003506_MeigsField]
Some disagreed with the mayor’s decision:
John McCarron, columnist and urban planning expert:
[clip: RMDOH_01_mccarron_john_20190418_005813_005915_MeigsField]
Lester Crown, Chicago business person:
[clip: RMDOH_01_crown_lester_20180420_002917_003029_MeigsField]
Jackie Heard, the mayor’s press secretary (1997-2011), recalls tough questions from reporters, but also remembers the appeal of Daley’s decision:
[clip: RMDOH_01_heard_jackie_20190501_003047_003439_MeigsField]
Cultural and entertainment venues
Mayor Daley committed himself to strengthening many of Chicago’s cultural and entertainment venues. While one reason for this commitment was to attract tourists, another reason was to enhance the lives of Chicagoans.
[img: Mayor Richard M. Daley poses with a visitor to Buckingham Fountain at the 75th anniversary of the fountain, April 13, 2002. Richard M. Daley papers, University of Illinois at Chicago Library. EXH_RMD16_07_0229_0015_001]
The mayor had Lake Shore Drive rerouted so as to Chicago’s museum campus--the Shedd Aquarium, the Field Museum, and the Adler Planetarium--more tightly together.
David Mosena, the transformation of lake shore drive and the museum campus.
[clip: RMDOH_01_mosena_david_20171027_001617_001807_museums]
[img: Mayor Richard M. Daley tours Chicago's museum campus, November 18, 1996. Richard M. Daley papers, University of Illinois at Chicago Library. EXH_RMD16_07_0144_0012_002_012-Edit.]
Another major attraction was Navy Pier. John W. Rogers, CEO of Ariel Investments, discusses its transformation under Mayor Daley’s stewardship:
[clip: RMDOH_01_rogers_john_20180522_000600_000706_navypier]
[img: RMD at Navy pier] [note: Dan needs to send to Ian]