Riot Fest moving to Douglas Park? (Chicago, Tinley Park: houses, property tax, live)

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by via chicago

I dont think it causes gentrification per se. It certainly impacts the way people perceive a neighborhood though. 10 years ago people would have laughed if you said a big commercial festival was setting up in Humboldt. People now are saying the same thing about Douglas Park. No one would have ventured down there a few years ago. With the changes going on in Pilsen, as well as the opening of Lagunitas, its certainly a place thats at least of people's tongues now.

Right - and IMO that can be a good thing. It doesn't necessarily mean that people are going to come in and ruin something. All of a sudden, especially for people who actually value culture, they could say "oh wow, there's some cool shops here and some really good food. I'm going to start coming here more often." It could contribute to the economic well being in the area if this happens and keep it strong.

[jwaiter]

Originally Posted by Ace Rothstein

You can sit in a parking lot and there aren't too many trees in the part of Grant Park where most of Lolla is held.

It's an idiotic idea, that's why, out of hundreds of outdoor fests, nobody does it. It makes no sense at all.

[jeffersondavis]

Originally Posted by Drover

Riot Fest in Talks About Moving to Douglas Park


Aw, so you want to take your ball and go to a different playground? Good luck with that!

You can avoid the bully at your local playground by moving to a different playground if you want. But don't think for a second that the bully at the new playground is any better than the bully at the old one. Sure, he'll pretend to be your friend -- just long enough to size you up and figure out how much he can bully out of you. But if he already knows you've been cowed by your own neighborhood bully, all bets are off.

Welcome to Chicago politics! Now wipe the blood off your nose and mouth, put this ice pack on your black eye, and think very carefully about whether you want to be under the thumb of the new bully or make peace with the old one . . . . .

Good riddance. Last year it was an overcrowded, poorly run festival and somehow they made the biggest park in the city seem like a tiny, undersized refugee camp. Concert goers leaving litter and trash everywhere

[MassVt]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

I like the idea of Riot Fest, but I'm very happy it's not held in MY neighborhood park, and can fully understand why people who live in the neighborhood would have some objections to it. It really doesn't belong in a neighborhood park, as "cool" as that makes the festival. I'm sorry that northerly island and other "festival grounds" are booked.

If you actually use parks frequently and have kids in park district activities, you can easily see why these festivals are problematic. Even a well-kept field is a challenge to maintain in the Spring months, and this festival just trashed all of the turf in the park to the point that it was unusable. You can re-seed, but that takes a full season to really flourish and compacted soil under the feet of thousands of revelers may not ever be the same.

I guess the families in Douglas Park have less pull with their Alderman. So once again in a new location, screw over families who live in Chicago neighborhoods and make the city a playground for dumbass self-absorbed 20-somethings. It's not a sustainable model for a city.

I'll bet that the neighbors really hate these events. I know that I certainly would. No reason to recreate Woodstock over and over again..

[via chicago]

Originally Posted by MassVt

No reason to recreate Woodstock over and over again..

except for the fact that theres always going to be a new generation of kids that wants their own.

[marothisu]

I think it's official now that it's going to be in Douglas Park this week. Good for North Lawndale/Pilsen

[eevee]

Originally Posted by MassVt

I'll bet that the neighbors really hate these events. I know that I certainly would. No reason to recreate Woodstock over and over again..

Again, Riot Fest isn't the only festival Humboldt Park hosts...

I honestly prefer park festivals over street festivals that close off entire major roadways and reroute traffic and even bus routes. FAR more intrusive, but I guess people dig them. Damage to the park is an issue, but at least Riot Fest is in September, when kids are back in school and parks are used less.

I've been through HP a couple of time and the park didn't look that torn up. I know it got wrecked during the festival, but that was in part due to the severe storms that happened during the entire run.

Stuff like Riot Fest doesn't gentrify a neighborhood but it helps put a location people wouldn't otherwise visit in the spotlight. And let's face it, when you see a business take a risk on an area, it makes the area as a whole look better. Lawndale isn't great but people and businesses are investing in it and will hopefully continue to do so.

And keep in mind, Riot Fest almost left the city completely. Not sure if this is what people want, to lose revenue at a time like this...

[marothisu]

Actually the funny thing is that online there were a bunch of commenters from HP saying how they found the Puerto Rican fest much more annoying than Riot Rest.

[eevee]

Originally Posted by marothisu

Actually the funny thing is that online there were a bunch of commenters from HP saying how they found the Puerto Rican fest much more annoying than Riot Rest.

OMG, it is though!!!

The noise pollution is INSANE and it doesn't end at the park's borders. Every building around is blasting music, which wouldn't be bad except it's all different and is typically a mess. Cars zooming up and down North Ave, California, Division, and so on with PR flags draped on them and either blasting music, leaning on their car horn endlessly, or just otherwise loud cars that rival motorcycles. Riot festers may be loud in the park, but it tends not to carry on outside to such an extent (bikes quieter than cars). I think Riot festers are more considerate of the community as a whole, IMHO.

Crime is a real issue. The PR festival is a convergence of rival gang members and shootings and stabbings do happen. Vandalism happens (roommate's car was parked on the street and had beer bottles thrown at it). Past a certain time and I start wondering why people are bringing their kids here, despite the carnival rides.

The PR festival has its fun moments, don't get me wrong, but of course there's a segment of the population that wants to ruin it. That segment is far less likely to show up at Riot Fest (mostly because they are priced out! Also because it's not really their scene).

I think Rahm is being ridiculous with his idiotic "2 strikes and you're out" comment. Really? And how many people have been injured at the PR Fest compared to Riot Fest? Hell, how many people have been injured at or near the Taste vs. Riot Fest?

[marothisu]

^ My first day in Chicago happened to be on this day. I wasn't in Humboldt Park, but on my way from Gold Coast to Target in Avondale. Along the way I saw tonssss of Puerto Rican pride stuff. It was cool but really annoying. That was one of my first memories of the city - I had to look up online what was going on to make sure it wasn't like that everyday

The commenters were also talking about the crime, and random fights happening.