MAGGIE DALEY PARK — Dog owners howling over the Maggie Daley Park dog ban just got thrown a bone.
Ald. Brendan Reilly (42nd), whose ward oversees the new Downtown park, said in an email to constituents Tuesday evening that he successfully negotiated a compromise with the Chicago Park District allowing dogs through the park along its Cancer Survivors' Garden.
"After months of negotiations, I am pleased to announce a compromise that will allow dogs and their owners to walk through and enjoy Chicago's most popular park, while also addressing the concerns of non-dog owners who worry for wear-and-tear on the new park and potential conflicts that could involve young children and dogs," Reilly said in the email.
A map showing the dog-friendly route through Maggie Daley Park, 337 E. Randolph St. [Brendan Reilly]
The route is identical to the one dog owners living near the new Downtown park, 337 E. Randolph St., had advocated for since the Chicago Park District announced a dog ban late last year. Reilly, a dog owner himself, agreed that the ban was onerous on people hoping to take their pets through the park. Until now, dog owners said they were forced to take Lower Columbus Drive and other detours.
"I am thrilled that we could secure an agreement that will once again allow our four-legged friends to visit northern Grant Park, as they had for many years — while respecting the concerns of non-dog owners. Personally, I look forward to using these dog-friendly routes with our two Yorkies: Buster and Max," Reilly said.
The announcement came the same day DNAinfo Chicago ran a story reporting that many dog owners had begun ignoring the ban because authorities were not enforcing it.
Jessica Maxey-Faulkner, a spokeswoman for the park district, said in a statement that the dog-friendly path is for "ingress and egress, only."
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