Plans for a proposed athletic field at Schurz High School would close a portion of Waveland Avenue. View Full Caption Facebook/Old Irving Park Association

IRVING PARK — A controversial proposal to build a new athletic field at Schurz High School — a plan that would entail closing a portion of Waveland Avenue — will officially be presented to members of the community at an Oct. 8 meeting to be hosted and moderated by Ald. John Arena (45th).

"I'm hopeful that they'll listen to the real purpose and genuine intent," Schurz Principal Daniel Kramer said.

Renderings of the field — which would feature a regulation-sized soccer field, football practice field and either tennis courts or softball field — surfaced online earlier this month and immediately drew fire from residents who objected to the characterization of Waveland as "unnecessary."

Patty Wetli explains why neighbors are concerned about the proposal:

In announcing the meeting, Arena said, "Please remember that the proposal is just that — a proposal — and no final decision has been made."

Kramer said he hoped to alleviate the "sense of community angst" by addressing a number of misconceptions and concerns about the project.

The idea was born out of a simple need for a better field for Schurz students, said Kramer, who characterized the school's existing outdoor athletic field as a "scrappy dirt lot."

Constructing a larger, multipurpose facility — requiring the closure of a stretch of Waveland between Milwaukee and Lowell — would allow Schurz to connect its academic building and school lawn with the athletic field and create a campus-type environment for students as well as a park-like setting for residents, he said.

The big-picture purpose of the field, Kramer said, is to help break down barriers between the neighborhood and Schurz, which is typically not the school of choice for the area's families.

"I'm looking for ways that I can get more community members over here," Kramer said.

He said he envisioned the field hosting events like tee-ball leagues or a farmers market as well as providing a green space for neighbors to enjoy, adding that renting out the field to adult sports leagues "is not a priority at all for this proposal."

"It's our fault that people don't know that," said Kramer, who conceded that residents should have been involved earlier in the process of the crafting the proposal.

"We all want Schurz to improve and thrive as a strong neighborhood school — one that draws families to the neighborhood, and one where our families are proud to send their children," Arena said in a note to constituents.

"This stage is the time to engage in a dialog about how we help Schurz improve while mitigating any potential negative impact," the alderman said.

The meeting to discuss the proposal is scheduled for 7 p.m. Oct. 8 in the Schurz library, 3601 N. Milwaukee Ave.

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