GRANT PARK — Crowds this weekend raved over the new skating ribbon at Maggie Daley Park.
So what will become of the meandering path when the cold weather breaks in the spring?
How does a walking path sound? That's what officials say the 20-foot-wide ribbon's warm weather future holds.
"Once it gets warmer and the ice melts away, the space will be converted into a paved walking path," said Bob O'Neill, head of the Grant Park Conservancy. "It will also give kids a chance to ride their scooters around on the winding path."
O'Neill said skating could end as soon as it begins to warm in March.
As soon as this spring, a cafe also will open on the south end of Maggie Daley Park on Monroe Street. In addition, tables and chairs will be set up to create a cafe environment.
"It will allow people to sit back, relax, and watch people using the climbing wall," O'Neill said.
Although dogs won't be able to enjoy the park during the summer months, officials are looking for many ways to use the park and attract Chicagoans and travelers.
"The design of the structure allows for its use to be flexible and may at some point include creative performances or parades," O'Neill said. "Maggie Daley Park is an evolving park. It's important to keep an open mind and be open to creative uses for the park."
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