|
Latin's community coffee on Wednesday, May 14 has been cancelled. Please continue to check our Web site for updated information.
The Latin School is committed to continuing to enhance its longstanding and valued relationship with its neighbors. Our monthly community coffees, annual larger community meetings, a traffic committee made up of Latin staff, parents, community representatives and various other outreach activities are part of the school’s efforts to engage in a rich and meaningful dialogue with the community.
To find out more about these endeavors or to provide input, please contact info@latinschool.org.
Latin School Field Project
The Latin School of Chicago is currently working in partnership with the Chicago Park District to build a new athletic field in south Lincoln Park. This synthetic turf field is part of the Chicago Park District's four-year Capital Improvement Plan to build 20 new fields throughout the city, and it will provide an additional, much-needed and safe recreational area.
The project has evolved and been revised in response to input from our neighbors at an all-community meeting in August 2007, various get-togethers with smaller neighborhood groups, and community coffees hosted by Latin every second Wednesday of the month.
Location: The field will be located just west of Lake Shore Drive, just north of the existing softball diamonds and directly west of the Lincoln Park Zoo parking exit. This area is (and has been) a designated area for team sports. The new field will not displace or replace any existing volleyball or basketball courts.
View a rendering of the field.
Usage: Latin’s agreement with the Park District gives the school usage of the new soccer field at specified times.
Latin will use the new field 25 percent of the time it is available during the fall, spring and summer months; the remaining 75 percent of the time, the field will be open for use by the public. This schedule will be very similar to Latin’s current use of Park District fields. For the last few years, the school has been using the field at Montrose to play games, and with the construction of the new field, the school will no longer regularly use Montrose.
Latin will notify the Park District of its fall and spring athletic seasons by August 1 and March 1, respectively. This notification process will allow the Park District to issue permits to the public for additional use of the field.
Graph of the total hours Latin will use the new field (click to enlarge)
Community Benefits: The field will provide the community with much-needed additional recreational space that is accessible and well maintained. Currently there are no lakefront soccer fields between Montrose Harbor and Jackson Park. Various community groups including local schools and athletics clubs have voiced support for the field and look forward to its completion.
Read 43rd Ward Alderman Vi Daley's official statement about the project.
Improving the park: In recent years the Chicago Park District has experienced increasing demand for synthetic athletic fields, as they drain quickly and diminish sports injuries. Synthetic fields are durable and usable for longer periods during the year.
Funding: The project is estimated to cost approximately $2 million. Latin, as well as donations sought by the school, will fund the field, goal posts, a drainage system and small bleachers.
Project update as of April 18, 2008
Progress on the field project continues, and currently, the contractor is working to:
- Install light poles and perform underground electrical work
- Spread drainage stone over field
- Cast concrete sidewalks & plazas
- Install benches, corner posts and goals
- Install drinking fountain
- Begin installing low ornamental fence
Latin as a Good Neighbor
As a longtime member of the community, Latin also recognizes the importance of being a good neighbor. The school has introduced several initiatives to further develop communications with its neighbors. For example, to address concerns with local residents about traffic congestion, Latin formed a traffic management advisory committee, which meets at least twice a year. Learn about Latin's Lower School traffic procedures. In addition, during the last two years the school has hosted a series of informal community gatherings that served as a wonderful opportunity to get to know our neighbors.
The Latin School of Chicago has been an active participant in its community since 1888.
The School provides learning opportunities to Chicagoans of all ages. In addition to educating our students, we offer camp activities, sports, adventure, and academics for tots through teens in the Summer
at Latin program. And High
Jump, a tuition-free academic enrichment program housed at Latin, prepares talented middle school students with limited income for top parochial, public, and independent college preparatory schools.
While the School has a strong commitment to these outreach programs, we are equally committed to teaching our students to become contributing members of society. From the earliest age community service is an integral part of Latin's curriculum. Starting in the Lower School, through class projects or as members of the Lower
School community service club, our students work with individuals and organizations to help people in need. Meanwhile, all tenth graders at Latin are required to complete 40 hours of community service as part of our Service
Learning program. Many, of them choose to continue their outreach beyond tenth grade and finish their high school years with more than 100 hours of service at a single site.
Latin Middle School students work to clean up Chicago Forest Preserves in a Service Day project done in conjunction with Friends of the Park, a non-profit group.
For further information, please contact:
The Latin School of Chicago
Media/Community Liaison Contact:
Melissa Jarmel
(312) 582-6075
mjarmel@latinschool.org
|
