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Anyone who's ever gone to a Cubs game knows the clusterfuck that occurs around Wrigley Field right before game time. Now, Ald. Tom Tunney (44th) wants to try to clear that congestion a bit by making it illegal for street vendors to set up shot within a certain radius around the stadium. The proposal, introduced today, would make it illegal for vendors to, as the Tribune explains, "sell food or merchandise from a cart, table or other temporary stand."
The prohibition would begin two hours before and end two hours after baseball games or concerts.Peddlers already are forbidden from the sidewalks on the permiter of the ballpark, along Addison and Clark streets and Waveland and Sheffield avenues.Tunney would expand that zone to the following, according to the ordinance:
- Addison Street and Waveland Avenue between Wilton and Racine Avenues.
- Clark Street and Sheffield Avenue between Newport Avenue and Grace Street.
It may help congestion, but how will countless frat boys be able to buy their "Horry Kow" t-shirts?
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Sounds like a great first step...
Thus putting dozens of vendors out of work while further enriching the cubs? This is looking out for the little guy.
Don't like congestion around Wrigley? Simple, get a game schedule, avoid the area on game days. Easy Peasy.
If you're going to the game, you're entering the largest open air bar/flea market in the city. This should not come as a surprise at this late date.
Ya, look out for the little guy that's selling shirts and is not paying for the brand/trademark usage. God forbid.
I don't think this is about the little guy or the big guy though - it's a genuine clusterfuck up there on gameday.
couldn't agree w/ this more. screw the vendors. i would assume Tunney has had plenty of complaints for homeowners in the area to bring this up.
This is the opposite of what needs to be done. Sheffield and Waveland need to be closed off and vendors need to set be up beer, concessions & apparel stands. Just like Fenway. Its awesome. Removing those stands will not affect the congestion around the stadium in any way shape or form.
Stop by Tunney's office and let him know his idea is wrong because it's not Awesome. I'm sure he'll change his mind immediately. Good work, Thunderbelly.
@thunderbelly - you do know there's a firehouse on waveland right? can't really block that in with a bunch of knock off cubs shit and beer gardens.
I like the vendors. If it's an aesthetic issue, go to the Art Institute and act important there. Otherwise, enjoy the enthusiastic display of free enterprise.
I'm glad my alderman isn't sitting around muling issues as trivial as this one all day.
i'm sure Tom is pulling all-nighters day in and day out prepping for this one.
I'm sure that this has as much to do with easing congestion as it does with the fact that a lot of these vendors are selling products that illegally use MLB logos, Cubs logos, Sox logos etc...
definitely
A) If this is really about copyright infringement, then why can't the cops bust them for that? It's not like people have given up on that. Every month i hear about another file-sharing site going down. Is is that hard to find these guys, standing outside the park?
b) The congestion has little to do with the vendors. I live in the neighborhood, and I'm never thinking, "wow, that stall is totally in the way." I'm more often complaining about some fat out-of-towner with 5 kids waddling down the sidewalk and holding hands so noone can get by.