Pigboat

Expect fierce fight. Chicago area pilots associations already contacted faa. Under their rulings the city is supposed to issue 60 to 90 day notifications of ANY airport/runways closures. Be sure the matter will be investigated and possible fines imposed on the city. The airport was not only used for G/A but had a lot of corporate flyers as well.
The mayor (read: moron) himself used the convenience and proximity of Meigs Field to Downtown when trying to lure Boeing exec’s into making the decision to move the hdqr’s to Chicago from Seattle. The dude had a park in mind in this area all along and it became a political issue. In 2001 he said this airport would stay open till at least 2006 and possibly till 2026.
Bet you it has a lot to do with ORD expansion/pulling teeth and Palwaukee as a possibility for another Chicago area main airport. For now the taxpayers will eat the cost of moving stranded crafts and the g/a folks along with corporate flyers will have to do with DuPage and drive 35 miles to the city.

Typical “Windy City” politics at its best where using security reasons is to accomplish one's own agenda.

BTW, Daley explained in the news conference that his “night time operation” was to make sure no one had the time to file a lawsuit to stop his plan. How sneaky was that? Absolutely outrageous!

This is no april fool's joke. My post was in the morning CDT on the 31st. There is a live webcam at the adler planetarium that will show the damage.

nulian

You and I know, it’s no joke. For sure a sad day. Keep in mind there always will be some, trying to “lighten” you up. No need to explain your posts. I share your outrage.

take a look:

"Meigs now a no-fly zone
March 31, 2003

BY By Robert C. Herguth, David McKinney and Maureen O’Donnell Staff Reporters



Mayor Daley unfurled his own version of “shock and awe” overnight: Without notice, he sent heavy equipment into Meigs Field under police guard to begin demolishing the lakefront airport.

Although increasing security was the stated goal, Daley long has wanted the airfield converted into a park, in line with Daniel Burnham’s long-ago vision.

The mayor said a handshake deal he made with former Gov. George Ryan to keep the airport open for 25 years was dependent on action in Congress to secure O’Hare Airport expansion. Because that failed, the deal was off, the mayor said.

The move stunned Meigs backers, who believed the Ryan-Daley agreement was still in effect.

“There’s no logic,” said Steve Whitney of Friends of Meigs Field. “They dug Xs into the runway all the way down.”

What’s more, a number of small planes remained parked at the airfield, with no runway now to leave, he said, adding a taxiway might have to be used. “From our perspective, this is a pure and simple land grab,’’ he said.

Friends president Rachel Goodstein called Daley’s methods “creepy,’’ and officials said their group is considering a lawsuit at the state and federal level.

The mayor acknowledged there were no specific security threats to Meigs, but insisted that closing the airport could someday help prevent a tragedy in which a terrorist aboard a small plane might slam into a high rise or big crowd downtown.

He sidestepped questions about whether the timing was intended to avoid someone going to court to keep Meigs open.

He said the final straw came when he heard about no-fly zones over Disneyland and Disney World, and that it took months for the City of Chicago to get the federal government to re-establish temporary flight restrictions over part of downtown earlier this month.

The Park District owns the land, and city officials said they had the legal authority to shut down Meigs.

But proponents of keeping Meigs open called Daley’s action an “abuse of power’’ and said it’s clear he’s using the anxious atmosphere of today to shut down Meigs and create a park there.

Gov. Blagojevich's administration signaled its support for Daley's move on Meigs despite not being informed of the mayor's plans before backhoes moved in. “While we didn't know about this in advance, we do support closing Meigs Field for public safety and security concerns,” said Blagojevich spokeswoman Cheryle Jackson.

“I can't make any sense of this,” said Patty Schuh, spokeswoman for Senate Minority Leader Frank Watson (R-Greenville). “This is just bizarre. They're doing it at 11 o’clock at night and stranding vehicles there. Is this revenge? I don't know what it is.”"

Chicago Sun.

Read this one:

March 31, 2003
Daley defends closing of Meigs Field
By Greg Hinz and Kelly Quigley

As critics accused him of employing “storm-troop tactics,” Mayor Richard M. Daley Monday strongly defended his decision to demolish Meigs Field’s only runway in the middle of the night, saying the lakefront facility posed a severe threat to the city’s security.
“We have done this to protect the millions of people who live, work and visit in downtown Chicago in these very uncertain times,” Mr. Daley declared to a room packed with reporters at City Hall.


“We have no control over airplanes in the air,” he added. “But we can control whether we have a city airport a few seconds away from one of the heaviest concentrations of people and buildings in North America.”

Mr. Daley has sought for years to shut the airport and replace it with a city park, and acknowledged that many persons will question the city’s motives.

“Yes, I do want a park,” he said. But the mayor insisted the city could not afford the “prolonged anxiety” that might have occurred had officials given public notice of the Meigs closure, allowing the demolition to be challenged in court.

“I am not willing to wait for a tragedy to happen here before making the tough decisions," Mr. Daley said.

A 'land grab'

The mayor’s critics were equally vehement, matching him rhetorical bullet for bullet.

“This smacks of totalitarianism,” said Rachel Goodstein, president of Friends of Meigs, a non-profit group that represents general-aviation pilots. “It is nothing but an unmitigated land grab.”

Steve Whitney, the group’s founder and long-time leader, ridiculed the mayor’s suggestion that someone could slip into Meigs, fill a plane with explosives and then crash it into the Loop.

Only authorized personnel are allowed at Meigs, said Mr. Whitney, standing before a large American flag, and the airport “is only marginally closer to downtown than 25 or 30 other airports from which someone could take off and do similar damage.

“One SUV (packed with explosives) could do far greater damage,” Mr. Whitney asserted. “But we’re not talking about closing city streets.”

The O'Hare issue

Potentially the biggest casualty of Mr. Daley’s decision to send in bulldozers shortly before midnight last night is a new harmony between City Hall and much of the local business establishment over whether and how to expand O’Hare International Airport.

Under terms of a handshake deal last year between Mr. Daley and former GOP Gov. George Ryan, the state dropped its long-term objections to expanding O’Hare, and Mr. Daley agreed to keep Meigs open until 2006. The deal failed to pass Congress after U.S. Sen. Peter Fitzgerald, R-Ill., almost single-handedly blocked ratification in Congress. Democrats since have taken control of the Illinois legislature and governor’s mansion, and may be able to do whatever they want at O'Hare without help from Republicans.

In his remarks Monday, Mr. Daley said there now is “no agreement,” and denied that he broke a deal.

The mayor also said his credibility is not at risk.

“It was supposed to pass in Washington D.C. It didn’t pass,” he said.

But R. Eden Martin, president of the Civic Committee of the Commercial Club, suggested that the mayor’s action is out of line.

“We’re surprised and disappointed,” said Mr. Martin, whose group represents the city’s largest corporations.

“There was an agreement” to keep Meigs open, that now has been put aside in the name of security, Mr. Martin said. Temporary closure may have been in order, he added, but “tearing it up would seem to be something else.”

Mr. Daley also was distinctly cool about the proposed airport in south suburban Peotone, which he had promised former Gov. Ryan he would support. “They can build it” if they want, he said, but success will rely on the efforts of those backing the plan.

In the still of the night

Early this morning, there were reports of several caravans of heavy construction equipment going into Meigs Field, in some cases escorted by police. As of 1:30 a.m., several backhoes, large trucks carrying floodlights and generators and other equipment could be seen moving along the north-to-south runway of the small airport.

Several huge Xs were carved out of the runway so no planes could take off or land — surprising since a number of planes are still parked at the airport. The mayor said those planes might be able to use an adjacent "runway" to fly out of Meigs. That option has to be cleared with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

City Aviation Commissioner Thomas Walker said the city is spending about $125,000 to tear up key sections of the Meigs runway — enough to shut the lakefront airport down indefinitely. The city will pay if need be to move about 15 private aircraft stranded at Meigs in the midnight demolition raid.

If those planes are unable to take off from Meigs Field's using the adjacent taxiway — which some aviation sources say would be hazardous — the planes will be hauled away by truck, Mr. Walker said.

Asked why the city didn’t merely install heavy concrete barriers, Mr. Daley said, "We took the action we felt was appropriate.”

The mayor repeatedly hinted that he is still steaming over the refusal of federal officials until last week to implement a no-fly zone rule downtown. Mr. Daley has argued it was irresponsible to ban flights over Disney World in Florida, but not a downtown area that houses three of the five tallest buildings on the continent.

At least one group, the Washington, D.C.-based Aircraft Owners & Pilots Assn., said it will explore the legality of the city’s action, but conceded that past research on similar matters is not promising.

Phil Boyer, president of the group, said the city was "sneaky" for closing Meigs Field without any advance warning — even to the FAA.

"While the federal and state airport laws may not have been broken by this action, last year (Mayor Daley) pledged to keep the airport open," he said. "The mayor has broken his promise not only to the citizens of his own city, but to the pilots of America."

Meigs opened in 1948. It once had regularly scheduled passenger service, but now serves strictly as a general-aviation facility.

A spokesman for Mr. Fitzgerald's office said Monday the senator would not comment on the Meigs closure. A spokeswoman for Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., said Mr. Durbin is following the news but has yet to discuss the issue with Mr. Daley.


http://www.chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?id=8384

Does anyone have an email addres for the city council, Mayor Daley and anyone else. We should bombard them with emails of outrage.

I was planning a trip to Chicago, Meigs field was to be the highlight. I may totally bypass the windy city now and spend my money elsewhere.

Lets kick some butt.

I'm not really into american politics/policies, but this looks like one of them pre-emptive strikes to protect the people of Chicago against an un-proven/un-documented threat.
Long live freedom and democracy, hip hip hurrah!

Meigs Field in Chicago closed
 

I dont usually pipe up here (Great info just from reading), but this time i must say after this the mayor of Cleveland will have some great backing to close BKL. I would hate to see that happen as it is a great downtown airport. Terrorism ya right. Hey Daley go screw yourself.

It looks more like an elected official, with little regard for anyone's opinion but his own, using security as a convenient excuse to achieve something that he has been trying to do for years.

Unbeleievable!!!

Thanks jet_noseover. Whereinell they gonna move Meigs traffic to? ORD ain't too GA friendly, nor is Midway. Palwaukee and Gary are kinda far away.Torch Lewis is gonna blow a gasket.

>>>“I am not willing to wait for a tragedy to happen here before making the tough decisions," Mr. Daley said. <<<


Sounds mighty familiar doesn't it?

When they write the epitaph for our generation it will read: Democracy and the American Ideal died by its own hand. The weapon was placed there by those too ignorant of the true nature of responsibility to understand it and too certain of themselves to forsee the price of their ignorance.

Chicago Tribune Poll update

Was closing Meigs Field a good idea?

Yesterday:
Yes: 28.4% (275 responses)
No: 71.6% (695 responses)

Today (so far)
Yes: 29.9% (4,288 responses)
No: 70.1% (10,066 responses)


Chicago Tribune website

Click http://egov.cityofchicago.org/webpor...ayor_Daley.jpg to email Daley.

Again, please, Toronto and Cleveland, don't let another moronic asswipe like Daley wreak this nonsense on your cities. At least London had the sense to keep London City viable - Daley's a democrat, isn't he?

A explosives filled truck at a remote country railroad crossing will do more damage than a Cessna 182 out of Meigs.

Daley, you are a total jackass!!!!!!

Brilliant logic: this mayor is just as much a thug as his father was.
Nobody can takeoff from any other airport and fly VFR near the lakeshore, or fly across Lake Michigan if they want to (don't do it in winter in a single or light twin-the water will freeze you if you go down)? He addresses his electorate as if they were little kids, or chimpanzees. F*** you, Mayor Daley. Where is the icon for the middle finger? Did this guy allegedly accept any money from the Cosa Nostra (Mafia) in order to finance his electoral campaign?

Using such a thug's rationalization, our govt shut close down Wash National Airport (DCA). I just flew into this crappy little excuse for a jet airport. We had to burn off 800 lbs of expensive fuel because we were over the max landing wt for runway 19.

Meigs Field
 

I cannot believe the wishes of a community can be buldozed like this in a democratic society. I wish AOPA and Friends Of Meigs goodluck with Daley.
I also find it humorous that an airport that serves nothing larger than a learjet can be considered a terrorism threat, while 747's fly over the city to and from O'Hare every day. Perhaps we should close O'hare? It might make a nice park.
Which brings me to my next point. Arn't you glad that the airport's gone? Now we'll be free to enjoy that park space, we can go for a stroll on a nice frigid winter day anytime we want. Does Daley not see that for 8 months out of the year it will be vacant???
Sad day for aviation and the democratic process. I guess flight sim and pictures will have to suffice.
Rob Moss
[email protected]

Come down Ignition Override

The dude is going to pay for this one.

What gets me, is this "sneak night attack". Since I do not wish to be banned I will not use the words...


You fill the blanks.

Has the contractor who is going to build the park been announced yet?? That should form the basis of an interesting game of 'spot the cronyism’.

Well freinds I know what it feels like to have someone in control who has it in for your feild. I come from a small town in NewZealand where we have almost exactly the same situation. The owner of our feild (a big business corporate scum bag)brought the field form the government for a song and wants it all turned into housing developments. He has'nt yet started to rip up the runway however. Your situation is appaling and I really feel for you. I hope this bastard ends up the way most gangsters do....face down in a muddy paddock miles from anywhere with an extra hole in his head.

Sadly, the link that Heliport posted is simply to a picture of the Great Man and doesn't allow you to send an email. I can't find an email address on the site, which is at:

http://egov.cityofchicago.org/city/webportal/home.do

All that seems to be listed is:

Address: Office of the Mayor
121 N. LaSalle, Room 507
Chicago, IL 60602

Facsimile: 312-744-8045

Can it be that they've had a lot of protests already and are trying to make it harder for people to get through?

lowtimer

the link sends you to a feedback form

this is what I posted:

Well done Mayor

you go in in the dead of night and prevent due process in ripping up the field. I hope the Courts make you repair the vandalism out of your own pocket.

By citing terrorism, all you do is give comfort to the enemies of freedom.

I find it totally amazing that the land of democracy and freedom you have things going on. Why dont you exercise your right under your constitution to bear arms?
I feel very sorry for the users of the field however I guess that somebody has a friend that owns a residential development company!

Come to Liverpool we have a riverside airfield. Much of it is now closed aswell!

Hope the field survives for aviation use. Eventually.



Justin

I share trolleydollylover's amzement and bewilderment that this sort of thing can go on in America.

Good luck to all in your campaign.

Question. Is it worth looking in to the fact that the owners of the planes still on the field will have been caused considerable inconvenience and expense by this act of vandalism?

The lawyers will surely get involved at some stage, so strike the first blow!