Friends of the Forest Preserves joins forces with the Beverly Improvement Association to preserve hundreds of old growth oak trees on the old Evergreen Golf Course site on the border of Chicago in Evergreen Park.
About half of the 100 acre site is slated to become a shopping center with a Meijer and Menards, along with many other smaller establishments. The issue is simple, a couple blocks down the street is the failed Evergreen Plaza mall. We say, we won’t shop, if you chop; build the development on nearby by vacant commercial land.
We are working to raise money to hire community organizers to the lead the campaign.
Friends of the Forest Preserves and the Beverly Improvement Association are working together to preserve the golf course land. Funds will be segregated in an account limited to this campaign. All contributions are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.
Act Now
HERE’S WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP STOP THE EVERGREEN GOLF COURSE DEVELOPMENT
STEP 1. Call or write Meijer and Menards and tell them to move to nearby vacant retail space and that you won’t support their stores if they build on the golf course. If either the Meijer or Menards pulls out, the whole development stops.
TELL THEM: REDEVELOP VACANT RETAIL SPACE. YOU WON’T SHOP IF THEY CHOP.
Meijer Real Estate Department
2929 Walker Ave., NW
Grand Rapids, MI 49544-9424
(877) 363-4537
Email Meijer
Menards Real Estate Division – Dispositions
5101 Menard Drive
Eau Claire, WI 54703
(715) 876-2532
Email Menards
STEP 2. Call or email President Toni Preckwinkle, Cook County Commissioners John Daley and Jerry “Iceman” Butler and tell them you want the Forest Preserve District to use eminent domain to buy the land and preserve it for us and future generations (yes, they have the money, the Forest Preserve District is separate from the ailing county).
TELL THEM: USE EMINENT DOMAIN TO MAKE IT A FOREST PRESERVE.
President Toni Preckwinkle
(312) 603-6400
pamela.cummings@cookcountyil.gov
Commissioner John Daley
(312) 603-4400
john.daley@cookcountyil.gov
Commissioner Jerry Butler
(312) 603-6391
jerry.butler@cookcountyil.gov
Find your Commissioner
Find your Commissioner’s contact info
If you need help finding your Commissioner’s info, please call the office at (312) 356-9990.
STEP 3. Call or email Alderman Matt O’Shea, Representatives Kelly Burke and Bill Cunningham, and Senator Ed Maloney and tell them: NO CHANGES TO WESTERN AVE. Current discussions involve removal of parking along the east side of Western, threatening businesses like Beverly Bike and Ski, and possibly removing the recently installed median planters.
TELL THEM: NO CHANGES TO WESTERN AVENUE.
Alderman Matt O’Shea
(773) 238‐8766
ward19@cityofchicago.org
Senator Ed Maloney
(773) 881-4180
emaloney@senatedem.ilga.gov
Representative Kelly Burke
(708) 425‐0571
kellyb@ilga.gov
Representative Bill Cunningham
(773) 445-8128
staterepbillcunningham@gmail.com
Please support our work to save the golf course and make it a forest preserve by making a donation today.
Now we need to add cosponsors to demonstrate that this bill has the support it needs to pass. Please contact (call, email, or go and visit them) your State Senator and Representative and ask them to join on as a cosponsor. Our goal is to sign on as many cosponsors as possible for SB 2934 and HB 5128.
At a minimum, ask them to commit to voting YES for these bills. And, please be sure to let us know what you find out.