‘Oh, Lord’: Not everyone happy about return of South Side St. Patrick’s Day parade
BY TINA SFONDELES Staff reporter/tsfondeles@suntimes.com January 14, 2012 4:58PM
Verda Foster, manager of Harvest Christian Bookstore at 10600 S. Western, talks about the St. Patrick's Day Southside Irish parade returning to her store's neighborhood this year. Business and community react to the parade announcement on January 14, 2012. | Richard A. Chapman~Sun-Times
Article Extras
Updated: February 16, 2012 8:29AM
Verda Foster has a routine for the day after the South Side Irish St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
The longtime manager of the Harvest Christian bookstore near 106th Street and Western Avenue first picks up beer cans and bottles strewn in front of the store. Then, she brings out the hose to wash off the urine-stained sidewalk and roof.
On Saturday, Foster was told the historic parade will be rolling down Western Avenue once again in March after a nearly three-year hiatus.
“Oh, Lord,” Foster responded.
“I was rejoicing when it was called off because of the streets ending up so torn up and ripped up with beer cans and beer bottles,” Foster said.
“It would be great if there was a way the city could control the garbage and rowdiness, but I don’t think that’s really possible.”
But this time, organizers vow it’ll be a family-friendly event with zero tolerance for alcohol.
Despite the city’s approval, Ald. Matt O’Shea (19th) issued a letter to his constituents on Saturday, saying he “firmly” disagrees with the parade’s return. He said he can’t justify the price tag to taxpayers — which he estimates at $300,000 for a two-hour event — and the “overwhelming” public safety concerns.
O’Shea anticipates a public meeting will help iron out some problems, but warns, “if appropriate solutions cannot be found, I would hope the parade committee would forgo a 2012 parade.”
For lifelong Beverly resident John Cleary, the parade is not about booze and a rowdy crowd. It’s about the history and tradition of the neighborhood. And he’s not afraid to bring his kids — ages 9, 10 and 11.
“They love going to the parade and they’ve missed it the past couple of years,” Cleary said.
Cleary says he’ll be on the east side of the street — the family side — with no concerns.
Parade organizers say S3 Safety Service Systems, a private security firm, will work with the Chicago Police during the parade to help manage what is sometimes a crowd of 300,000 or more.
The assurances are enough for Maura Nagle, 16. She’s seen it all: people having post-parade sex in her backyard, drunks stumbling around the block until 2 a.m.
But this year, the teenager is counting on the extra security to keep the celebration tame.
“Really I hope it’s safe for the little kids coming out here to see the parade,” Nagle said. “. . . And I’m not going alone, that’s for sure.”
Comments Click here to view or make a comment