Markham to ask voters if city should take over beleaguered park district
After an incident involving a helicopter landing for prom in a public park in south suburban Markham, city officials are taking new steps to gain control of the park district.
The Markham City Council on Wednesday approved a measure to ask voters in the November election whether the city should take over the city's parks, a push some residents are already working towards. Officials said, if enough voters support that advisory referendum, they could place a binding referendum on the ballot in next April's municipal election.
City officials have been trying for more than a year to gain control of the park district.
Markham Park District executive director Quintina Brown hired a helicopter for her daughter's prom send-off, which then landed in Roesner Park without authorization on May 8. The incident sparked outrage on social media and in the south suburb.
The park district and the city are two separate government bodies, a group of seniors in Markham is on a mission to change that.
"That's why we're going to start petitions," Ann Jones said.
A door-to-door petition making the rounds in Markham seeks to drum up enough support from residents to get children back in the parks and more access to community centers.
"Most villages and areas, if the residents would like to have family gatherings, you can rent the place, you can use it at reasonable amount. We're constantly told we can't use it, it's not available to us," said DeLois White-Halbert, who has lived in Markham more than 40 years.
They pointed to one community center with a padlock on the front door.
City administrator Derrick Champion said their biggest concern is why such community centers aren't being used if they're available.
Champion said the helicopter stunt highlighted another reason why Markham city leaders have been trying to get the park district to open its books and turn the parks back to city control.
The city went to court earlier this year to seek a temporary restraining order that would limit Brown and the park district in general from signing contracts without the larger park district board's approval. But a ruling has yet to come, so now the City Council is seeking to ask voters whether the city should take over the park district.
"I think it's a valid question, because the park district has been mismanaged for years," Champion said.
Park district representatives did not respond to requests for comment.
