Expand Space to Grow into suburban Cook County - Metropolitan Planning Council

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Expand Space to Grow into suburban Cook County

Email to Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago Commissioners

Dear Director Perkovich and the Commissioners of the Board,

I am writing to express our support for the study of an expansion to the Space to Grow program to include schools outside the City of Chicago within the service area of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD). Please considering voicing your support for Motion 20-0427, Motion for the expansion of Space to Grow into the suburbs, during the May 20, 2020, regular meeting of the board.

Since the inception of the Space to Grow partnership, MWRD along with the Chicago Department of Water Management, Chicago Public Schools, Healthy Schools Campaign, and Openlands have been recognized with local and national awards for this innovative partnership worthy of attention and replication. To date, 20 neighborhood school--servings thousands of students across Chicago--have benefitted from the partnership’s investments, while neighboring homes and businesses have experienced improved stormwater management.

With five more Space to Grow schoolyards in development, and 34 planned by the end of 2022, now is good time to assess how this model could be rolled out to suburban communities in the District’s service area. Should you decide to study this program expansion, we ask that you include the following in a study:

  • Opportunity for Space to Grow projects to provide Offsite Management Facilities (“Credits”) for the five-year Stormwater Credit Trading Pilot in the Little Calumet and Lower Des Plaines pilot areas;
  • Processes to ensure partners and projects are selected that prioritize equity and impact, and serve a diverse geography; and
  • Assessment of including non-public school partners (e.g. private, religious) in communities with great need, where public schools may not be able to serve as partners.

We understand that the current pandemic has changed many utilities’ budget outlooks and has required leadership to assess programs and spending that may not seem essential. We urge you to consider that the Space to Grow program leverages the investments of Cook County’s taxpayers to provide innovative stormwater management, and extends well beyond the traditional operations of the District exposing new generations to the role of MWRD, the opportunity for future jobs and employment, and improved quality of life in communities across Cook County.

Sincerely,

Metropolitan Planning Council 

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