The Chicago Park District wants your opinions on the future of Grant Park's north end. It's looking to redesign 28 acres around Daley Bicentennial Plaza, Cancer Survivors Garden, and Peanut Park so the Park District is holding a series of meetings to hear ideas. A confluence of other projects have led the parks district to look at a redesign. The Children's Museum was controversially approved to move from Navy Pier to a mostly underground facility on the north side of Grant Park. Also, due to waterproofing repairs to the East Monroe Street Parking Garage, Daily Bicentennial Plaza will have to be closed for a time anyway. And, the Department of Transportation is looking to better connect bicyclists and pedestrians in North Grant Park with Lake Michigan. more ›

With the battle over the Children's Museum's controversial move to Grant Park next yet over, a new lease extension is expected to be agreed to that will keep the museum at its current Navy Pier location until at least 2013. Fox 32 reports that the agreement will give the museum a November 2011 deadline to extend its lease to 2013, 2014, or 2025. Children's Museum spokesman Natalie Kreiger said, "There are several phases that have to take place before we can break ground. I don't have a specific date, but it'll be in the next few years. While we're at Navy Pier, we'll continue to develop new exhibits that rotate out just as we always have. We'll continue to maintain the museum in a way that ensures it's attractive to visitors and fun for them until we move." more ›

Crain's Greg Hinz - who's all over the place today - reported today that plans to move the Children's Museum to Grant Park hit a financial obstacle. more ›

• Amid the latest controversy for Sen. Roland Burris comes word his counterpart, Sen. Dick Durbin, will not support Burris in the 2010 election.
• A judge ruled that residents near Grant Park who oppose the new Children's Museum were given proper notice of the new plans.
• Strange story out of Gary where four bodies were found in a vacant funeral home that was recently sold at a tax sale.

City Council this afternoon voted 33-16 in favor of the plan to put the Children's Museum in a hole in Grant Park. more ›

Cartoon for Chicagoist by Tim Daly more ›

The City Council's Zoning Committee approved the Children's Museum's move to Grant Park today by a 6-3 vote after six hours of testimony. Next up, the whole City Council votes on the plan next Wednesday, and Mayor Daley says he has all the votes he needs to get the plan approved. more ›

The three-judge appellate court unanimously ruled today that the city of Chicago cannot be held liable in the E2 nightmare that killed 21 people. A lawyer for the victims' families say they're going to appeal. [Trib] more ›

The Bus Tracker program will include 18 additional routes starting Monday, May 19. [Trib] more ›

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Cartoon for Chicagoist by Tim Daly more ›

The Park District announced yesterday that it approved the Daley-endorsed plan to move the Chicago Children's Museum to Grant Park. The proposal goes in front of the Planning Commission probably in May and in front of the City Council most likely in June. The meeting yesterday also confirmed that the naming rights to the museum will still be going to Allstate. more ›

The Chicago Children's Museum is moving ahead with plans to build its new facilities in Grant Park, despite serious objections from what appears to be everyone who's not the Children's Museum or Mayor Daley. more ›