Daryl Thompson
“It seems like a rather hasty idea. It seems that all the plans aren’t really finalized to really tell whether it would be a good idea or bad idea. It almost seems like something that just came out of the mayor’s mind, and he just started pitching it. I’m not sure what is going on. It seems like a lot people think they are going to get something and everything is going to be wonderful. I really don’t know.”
Curtis Davis
“I think it’s a bad idea because you’re going to destroy a park to put up a field and afterwards are you going to use it? It might be good for the black neighborhood, but I’m not sure. I think the park is better left the way it is, so that people in the neighborhood can enjoy it the way it is. I’ve heard concerns that the construction being done on the Dan Ryan has zero to maybe two blacks working on it, so why would black people think they will be included in building the Olympics? I think this might be more politics as usual in Chicago.”
Rick Fleshman
“In general, I think it’s a good idea, but after reading the newspaper, they are definitely making it into a political issue. I definitely want to know both sides of that. On the outside, it seems like a great idea. Who doesn’t want to have the Olympics? But I also want to know all the ramifications and what they are, so I don’t feel completely informed.”
Rodneyse Bichohe
“I don’t think Washington Park would necessarily be a good place for the Olympics if Chicago is chosen to be one of the cities in 2016-primarily because of the space limitation and where it’s located. There is high traffic in that area, and I think it would cause congestion. I’m thinking that if they were to do it in Chicago, [do it] somewhere possibly remote and away so they can build the facilities. Doing it in Washington Park is limited because there would have to be construction-also the removal of trees and natural forestry-and then after the Olympics, they would need some funds to re-build that park. I think the park is a community-based park. It serves its purpose on the South Side of Chicago. It needs to be remote, away from traffic so that other traffic is directed to one particular place or area in Chicago.”
Brigette Fleshman
“I think it’s a good idea, and it will help the community. We need to build schools, and it would provide money because people will come and stay in hotels. I don’t really think it would increase property value though.”
Bill Jones
“I would like to think it would be a good idea for the community at large and that blacks would have an opportunity to have some jobs presented to them. Actuality is I doubt that would happen. And what’s going to happen after the Olympics with the big stadium? What’s the future of it as it pertains to the black community?”
