Jackson Seeks Assistance to Re-Open Harvey Parks

For Immediate Release: Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Contact: Rick Bryant, 708-798-6000

Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. today called on Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan to take emergency steps to reopen field houses, ball parks, and summer youth programs in Harvey parks.

Harvey Park District facilities were locked without notice earlier this week as a result of a bitter  political fight between feuding city park officials.

"I am calling on the Illinois Attorney General to file a lawsuit on behalf of Harvey citizens.  The suit should petition to dissolve the current Park District and reassign all park assets and facilities to a court-appointed receiver," Jackson said.

"Here we are, in the first week of summer, with children looking for things to do, and there's no place for them to go for sports, recreation or organized fun.  It's a travesty.

"The children are innocent victims of political gridlock and certainly they deserve better. We need an outside, impartial leader who will put the interests of the kids first, and do so quickly," Jackson added.

"The Park Board is clearly derelict in its duties and dysfunctional.  Its president is under federal indictment and unable to serve.  The four remaining board members are hopelessly divided and unable to agree on anything," he said.

"Our first priority is to reopen the parks as quickly as possible.  Once the parks are open, I want to work with the Attorney General and local residents to re-establish new governance for Harvey parks," Jackson concluded.

Jackson noted that a similar problem occurred in the Village of Dixmoor about 12 years ago.  At that time, Jackson worked with a Cook County Circuit Court judge to place the Dixmoor Park District into receivership until a new board was put in place.