WRIGLEYVILLE — The Chicago Police Department is preparing for citywide festivities Wednesday night in case the Chicago Cubs win it all, Ald. Tom Tunney (44th) said.
Not only will hundreds of uniformed and undercover officers be in Wrigleyville, but the department will have "additional police resources" in Bucktown, Rush Street and other entertainment districts across Chicago, Tunney said.
After testing out crowd control measures and officer deployment strategies during the month-long Cubs postseason, the city is ready for the massive celebrations likely to ripple through Chicago, should the team win its first World Series championship since 1908.
"If anything, we're overprepared," Tunney said Wednesday, pointing to Homeland Security and FBI involvement in the planning.
Over 1,000 officers pooled from multiple city, state and federal agencies were on hand when the Cubs clinched the National League pennant on Oct. 22. An estimated 300,000 people were in Wrigleyville that night, although the home game drew some 40,000 people with tickets into Wrigley Field.
Police mounted units stand guard at Clark and Waveland after the Cubs won the National League pennant. [DNAinfo/Ariel Cheung]
It's possible a rainy forecast and the away game will lessen the Wrigleyville crowds Wednesday night, although fans from across Chicago are still expected to turn out for what could be an historic night, Tunney said.
Unless, of course, they take his advice.
"I'm asking a lot of Chicagoans to enjoy the game in the privacy of your own home, or perhaps an establishment in your neighborhood," he said.
Since the National League Championship Series clincher, Tunney said officials have rethought how to maintain order on Clark Street.
"The police have really had a strategy, a well-thought-out plan," Tunney said. "They've been working w/ the biz owners and residents to make sure, No. 1 it's safe, and No. 2 it's successful."
On Oct. 22, attempts to move buses through the intersection created too much congestion, which in turn toppled barricades meant to be set up near Clark and Addison, Tunney said.
"It was probably a mistake," he said Wednesday.
But with six World Series games down, Tunney said officials have a better handle on diverting traffic east and west of the ballpark.
As with previous games, fans were allowed to rush the Wrigley Field marquee Tuesday night, snapping selfies and cheering for the Cubs' stellar 9-3 triumph over the Cleveland Indians.
Toward the end of Game 6, one officer noted “The boss said we’ll probably lose control of the street for about 30 minutes, let them have their fun, and then we’ll get it back."
Town Hall District Cmdr. Robert Cesario waited roughly 30 minutes for the crowd to thin before sending officers of bicycles to finish clearing the intersection.
"In terms of tonight, I expect the plan will be similar to last weekend, Friday and Saturday," Tunney said ahead of Game 7.
Parking restrictions are in place until 4 a.m. Friday in Wrigleyville for the following streets:
• Clark from School to Irving Park
• Sheffield from Roscoe to Irving Park
• Addison from Halsted to Southport, and the north side to Ashland
• The following streets from Racine to Clark: Patterson, Waveland, Eddy, Cornelia and Newport
• Racine from Roscoe to Clark
• Waveland from Fremont to Halsted
• The following streets from Waveland to Grace: Clifton, Seminary and Kenmore
• Seminary from Newport to Eddy
• Irving Park from Clark to Seminary
• Inner Lake Shore Drive from Belmont to Addison (east side only)
• Grace and Waveland from Clark to Wilton
• Seminary from Newport to Irving Park (restricted until 8 a.m. Friday)
Few cars have needed towing during the World Series, with roughly 10 vehicles towed Tuesday night, Tunney said.
But several cars have been vandalized on game nights, and Tunney said he recommends moving cars out of the neighborhood if possible.
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