Garfield Park Conservatory Fern Room Reopens

By Chuck Sudo in News on Dec 4, 2011 4:30PM

Damage to the Garfield Park Conservatory Show House. Photo: Chicago Park District

Good news from the West side of the city as the Garfield Park Conservatory's Fern Room re-opened for the first time since it suffered significant damage from a June 30 hail storm.

According to Chicago Park District spokeswoman Zvezdana Kubat, the rehab has been slow and painstaking. Workers have had to replace soil and remove shards of glass by hand, and the rehabilitation process resulted in them uncovering the contoured walls of the layout of the room, which had been covered by vegetation for decades.

The glass panes will also need to be replaced as double pane glass, which will be more expensive. To date, the cleanup has cost the Park District $2 million and counting, and the Desert House and Show Room are still closed. Kubat said the Fern Room's reopening is a major accomplishment for the long-term, as it's the room in the conservatory where most people visit.

Consider a donation to the cleanup process for the holidays.