LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth |
USA's First "Official" Gay Neighborhood |
by Rex Wockner |
America has its first official gay neighborhood. Mayor Richard Daleys $3.2-million rainbow-themed redecoration of the North Halsted Street gay strip is finished. The modifications include: huge retro-futuristic sculptures at each end of the strip welcoming visitors to "Lakeview" (the official name of the neighborhood) and to "Northalsted" (a word created by the Northalsted Merchants Association), 20 large concrete planters topped with 12-foot-high, iron trellises containing the names of the cross streets, and 20 rainbow-ringed, 25-foot-tall, Art Deco, Flash Gordon-esque pylons located mid-block along the length of the entire gay strip. "This has been a labor of love," Daley said at the projects unveiling. "I knew we were right at the beginning. Its called fairness. Im thanking you for what you have done [for] North Halsted Street for many, many yearsfor the city of Chicago." As a result of the objections, the overtly gay aspects of the design were toned down a littlebut the 20 sets of huge, illuminated rainbow rings clearly remain its focus. At the height of the controversy, Daley, who has long been gay-friendly, declared, "I wont let the homophobes run this city!" Forty-fourth Ward Alderman Bernie Hansen, in whose district much of the project lies, told Windy City Times: "I think its the culmination of a great program to recognize the contribution of the business and leadership of this community over the years. Its the frosting on a beautiful cake." |
LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth, Vol. 9, No. 4, May 7, 1999 |