Jump to content

New Headline For Article "opposition Mounting To Chicago 2016"


Recommended Posts

I think the headline on the front page "Opposition Mounting To Chicago 2016 Olympic Village" is overstating the situation. The following is the local headline for this story:

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/olympics/11...S-oly15.article

South, West Side group eyes share of Olympic pie

CEO 2016 | Demands jobs, contracts and protection from displacement

August 15, 2008

Recommend

BY ANDREW HERRMANN AND FRAN SPIELMAN Staff Reporters

Saying it fears that poor and working-class Chicagoans would miss out on the benefits of hosting an Olympics here in 2016, a local citizens group Thursday demanded a share in jobs and contracts and protection from relocation.

The group, Communities for an Equitable Olympics 2016, comprised of a dozen established organizations, says that ordinary citizens from other American cities that have hosted the Games were unfairly displaced from their homes and missed out on economic opportunities.

"We're not anti-Olympics. We want to make sure the Olympics benefits the people in the neighborhoods,'' said Jay Travis, the executive director of the Kenwood-Oakland Community Organization, a CEO 2016 member group. ...

and a video of the event in question:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/08/15/c...v_n_119264.html

If the world's been reading about Chicago lately, the one characteristic that stands out most is the strength and heritage of community organizing and the stakes that the people of Chicago take in what happens in the city and the decisions that the city makes. As Chicagoans, we also take great pride in our neighborhoods and in the future of our communities and our city. That people who are in the development sphere of the Olympic Village and other venues take an interest in how those venues are developed is no surprise.

The Olympic Bid process emphasizes the importance of legacy and community support. One way to assure that the Games' legacy is tangible and valuable to the community is to assure that the community is involved in defining how the venues are developed and operated and how the legacy can benefit the people most affected. The London 2012 and Vancouver 2014 Games are far along in defining and implementing Community Benefits Agreements (CBAs) for their Olympic developments. That Chicago 2016 is already discussing their CBA is no surprise to anyone who lives here.

CHItown '16!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I completely agree. When I saw the title on the GB homepage, I felt it was trying to be more dramatic than it really is. Bottom line, the groups aren't "opposed" to the Olympics in Chi, they just want to make sure it treats the south and west sides with respect, and brings lasting benefits to the people in the city. All bids go through this in some way or another.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...