Midway Memorial Bench Part 1

There's a bench hidden on the eastern end of the Midway Plaisance that memorializes two women devoted to women's right to vote and to the welfare of the Southside. It's painted dark grey to cover up decades of graffiti

When it was dedicated, it was gleaming white, with a sundial. It was meant to launch the area as a memorial garden to those who made a difference in Hyde Park and Woodlawn.

At one point, the area to the east of the tracks was landscaped. Even now there are quite a few flowering crabs that put on a show in the spring, but the water table is just below the surface and water is flowing through sands toward the lake so the area is often a muddy mess or a lake. It's never used except by ducks and geese.

In the grand Midway Plan of 2000, a number of the ideas came to fruition through the University—the skating rink, the winter garden, the reading garden, the landscaping in front of the Law School, and the “Bridges” of lights and planters across the Midway to make crossing it more friendly. In the plan, the first proposal for the area to the east of the tracks was to have a large circular fountain, large enough to echo the Women’s Garden. The second proposal while the plan was being discussed was a Children’s play area—“an innovative environment…nontraditional objects, plant materials, and building surfaces … to create a dynamic, challenging, and stimulating play area.” At one point, the Park District was talking about a petting zoo. 

The latest proposals on the table is to go with some combination of 1) Passive Parkland (essentially what the site is now but with improved drainage), 2) A Nature Play area with natural components like logs and boulders could be arranged for play and exercise, 3) Inclusive Play much like the playgrounds already existing in many areas of our communites or 4) Active Play areas, for sports like pickleball, basketball, tennis, etc. All in keeping with the original, approved 2000 Midway Plan.

What combination depends in part on whether this will be designated as replacement fro the displaced UPARR (Urban Park and Recreation Recovery Act) land. If so, I'm assuming it needs to go through Federal review. 

By raising awareness for the bench, I'm hoping that it can be restored and given an honored place. Unfortunately, restoration may be as expensive as $30,000.