Closing Waveland for Schurz H.S Field Good for Kids, Neighbors: Principal

OLD IRVING PARK — Though opponents of a proposed athletic field at Schurz High School dominated the discussion during a community meeting Wednesday night, proponents of the project, which would require the closing of a portion of Waveland Avenue, had the last word.

"These First World problems — we're talking about driving two blocks out of your way — are never a legitimate reason to take something like this opportunity away from kids," said resident Paul Kozlowski, one of the final speakers during an often contentious three-hour public forum held in the school's auditorium.

Ald. John Arena (45th), who hosted and moderated the gathering, set out his goals at the beginning of the evening: to communicate a description of the project and create a dialogue to measure the proposal's feasibility.

"All of this is in the 'Let's ask questions' phase. If we make this change, what would work for you?" he said.

Acknowledging that the proposal for the field had crossed his desk in 2013, Arena said he waited to go public with the project while he gathered information about whether the concept was at all possible from an infrastructure and funding standpoint.

"We only got that in the last couple of months — that's why we're here tonight," he said.

The Pritzker Traubert Family Foundation, under the auspices of the Take the Field program, is willing to contribute $500,000 toward the field's anticipated $1.5 million tab, with Arena kicking in another $500,000 in Tax Increment Finance dollars.

Sources for the remainder of the costs had yet to be identified, the alderman said, and the final price tag would depend on desired amenities — in addition to a soccer field, the athletic campus could include a softball diamond, tennis court or playground.

Presentations followed from Schurz Principal Daniel Kramer and representatives from the Chicago Park District (which would manage public programs at the field) and the Chicago Department of Transportation.

"We will not be installing a P.A. system," Kramer said, shooting down one persistent rumor.

"Fancy" porta-potties would be positioned on the field's perimeter, he added, and lights would operate on timers — switched on as needed when the field is in use and turned off when play is over.

Kramer also said that "absolutely no adult leagues will be allowed to book time on this field."

It was a statement Arena reiterated several times throughout the proceedings.

"We will have a contract that will say we will not have adult leagues," said the alderman. "I can't say it any clearer."

In order for Schurz to build a regulation-size soccer field — meaning games played on the field would be officially recognized by the Illinois High School Association — the portion of Waveland Avenue that runs between Lowell and Milwaukee would be closed off to cars.

The IHSA requires that soccer fields measure 300 feet long and 195 feet wide, with 10 additional feet of clearance on all sides, according to Bob Foster, senior project manager for the Chicago Park District. Schurz' existing practice field can't accommodate the necessary length, he said. Therefore, the new field would have to encroach into adjacent space on Waveland Avenue in order to meet IHSA standards.

Some residents asked why build a soccer field instead of a track or some other athletic field that wouldn't eat up real estate on Waveland. Kramer responded that soccer is a sport played by both male and female students, so the field would benefit athletes of both genders. The school's soccer teams are on the cusp of being competitive at the state level, he added.

"I have girls that are all-city and all-sectional," said Colleen Antas, coach of Schurz' girls soccer squad.

But the condition of the current field — which turns into a mud pit for days after a rain — makes reaching the next level a challenge, she said.

"We had the first eight games of our season cancelled because we couldn't play on our field," said Antas. "Other CPS schools won't come here."

For such a small number of games — Kramer said the field would host approximately 17 soccer contests — residents questioned whether that was worth the inconvenience of shutting off Waveland.

"Is that what we want to do? Close off a street for that many games?" asked Sarada Amani, a long-time resident of Old Irving Park.

Residents complained that navigating the neighborhood's complex maze of one-way streets — with just two access points off of Milwaukee Avenue, including Waveland — was already challenging enough, as they detailed the twists and turns of their daily commutes with Mapquest-like precision.

"I kind of have a suburban mentality ... that's why I live here," said Amani. "If I can't access Six Corners easily" via Waveland to Milwaukee, "I'm going to Old Orchard."

A neighbor, who asked to be identified only as Teresa, countered: "This street isn't everything. How can this be everything to our neighborhood? It's one little street."

Kramer conceded blocking off Waveland was a tall order.

"I feel very badly when I hear the concerns," he said. "I'm asking you to consider what you're getting. It would be a very big deal for us."

The school just posted its highest ACT scores in 14 years and dropout rates have fallen from 8 percent to 2 percent since Kramer arrived at the school five years ago, he said.

But getting Schurz to the place where it's considered a viable choice for the neighborhood's families is another matter altogether, the principal said.

"Schurz, at one time, was the heart of this community ... and that is not the case now," Kramer said.

The field, as ironic as it may seem given the outcry it's caused, is an opportunity for Schurz to build and strengthen the school's relationship with neighbors, he said.

"What I want to see is our kids on that field and when they're not, to see your kids and you on that field," said Kramer.

Cutting off comment at 10 p.m., Arena said the next step would be the creation of a steering committee, made up of community members and representatives from Schurz Local School Council.

"We have to have an educated conversation about access. The steering committee will tell us if it's feasible, if things can be worked out," he said. "Let's stay open to possibilities."