1975-76 Letters

On September 16, 1975, at the height of the Bulls dispute between NU and the City , an Evanston resident appealed to Robert Strotz, President of Northwestern University.

Mr. Rober H. Strotz

Dear Mr. Strotz:

I am writing to you as an interested home owner and resident of Evanston in the close vicinity of McGaw Hall and Dyche Stadium.

Several years ago I was part of the protest when Northwestern University, in my opinion, made its power play have the Chicago Bears football team play their home games in Dyche Stadium. The parking problems, general pandemonium in the neighborhood including the illegal parking, before, during and after the game were something to behold and remember.

Of late we have had a recurrence on a more modest seals, to be sure, of this same kind of activity with the horse show.

Now we are faced with a similar kind of ploy with the Chicago Bulls about to play in McGaw Hall.

I view this kind of activity on the part of the University as a unilateral approach in which you are exhibiting an intense self interest and neglecting the fact that there is a total environmental impact to be considered.

Those of us who live in the environs of Dyche and McGaw are concerned about the neighborhood and property values, among other things. As a young child I lived in the vicinity of Cubs Park and my family was forced to move because of a deterioration of the neighborhood. The same deterioration of neighborhood and locale of Sox Park is evident.

From a realistic point of view the city of Evanston is ill equipped, for a variety of reasons, to handle mass crowds. This is evidenced by what happens during the Northwestern home football games. Your football games, however, we feel are a legitimate part of the function of the University. The extra collegiate functions you are planning we cannot feel are a legitimate purpose of a University function except by usurpation.

I think we understand the great pressures of the University to raise money. Each if us, in our own lives presently live with this pressure, and each of us finds our own solutions – not necessarily by being unnmindful and inconsiderate of the lives of others.

Most of us try to be good neighbors to the University and to its populace. I believe and understand that Northwestern, for the most part is probably the dominant institution in Evanston and that as Northwestern goes, so sooner or later, goes Evanston. In this respect I believe that Evanston residents look for Northwestern also to be a good neighbor.

Perhaps the University at the present time is insulated by Sherman Avenue or Sheridan Road as natural barriers but observe what has happened to the University of Chicago being in the midst of an area and neighborhood that has deteriorated and is continuously deteriorating.

These and related problems are of great concern not only to me but to a large group of Evanstonians.

I am asking you to consider these matters not only from a legalistic frame of reference but also from the point of view of what is good for the city and this community. In the final analysis what is good for Evanston must be good for the University - and in my further opinion what is good for Northwestern University is not ipso facto good for Evanston.

Sincerely,

Julian Jacobson

Six months later, the Lighthouse Park District of Evanston appealed to the City to stop NU from using their property for commercial and pro-sport activities.

LIGHTHOUSE PARK DISTRICT OF EVANSTON

(Formerly NORTH EAST PARK DISTRICT OF EVANSTON)

RESOLUTION

It has come to the attention of the Board of Commissioners of the Lighthouse Park District of Evanston that Northwestern University has applied both for a zoning variation and a zoning amendment to enable it to use Dyche Stadium and McGaw Hall for professional athletics and other commercial activities. The Board of Commissioners, in view of this development and its possible effects upon the Park District, DOES HEREBY RESOLVE:

1. That the use of Dyche Stadium and/or McGaw Hall for professional athletics and other commercial activities will affect deleteriously the area encompassed by the Park District in the matter of traffic, parking and congestion, which will interfere with the recreational and cultural activities in the District; and

2, That this Resolution be brought to the attention of any municipal or other authorities having power to prohibit the use of Dyche Stadium and/or McGaw Hall for professional athletics and other commercial activities.

The foregoing Resolution was adopted by the Board of Commissioners of the Lighthouse Park District of Evanston on March 15, 1976.

Bert Lutton

Vice President, Board of Commissioners