Edgewater residents protest displacement of programs at Broadway Armory for migrant shelter
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Right now, another Chicago community is speaking out about a migrant shelter moving in,
As CBS 2's Jermont Terry reported, the migrants will move into the Broadway Armory, 5917 N. Broadway, as early as next Tuesday. Many activities seniors and others in the community depend on will be moving out.
Edgewater residents rallied Thursday evening to stop the city. They stood outside the Broadway Armory questioning why they are being pushed out and migrants are coming in.
"Definitely a slap in face. Definitely not taking into consideration what the community wants," said Greer Gilmore.
Gilmore is a senior who depends on the many Chicago Park District programs operating out of the North Side armory.
"I'm here Monday through Friday," Greer said. "I take dance, back and balance, Pilates."
Gilmore says all those classes are essential to her health. That is why she and others were furious to learn access to the armory and those classes are coming to a halt.
The Park District told residents that most of the programming at the Broadway Armory will end on Friday. This is all to make room for 250 migrants.
Edgewater neighbors packed the armory to voice their concerns. They lashed out at city leaders that the facility was chosen despite the fact that it is already being utilized.
"There are empty in the Chicago area the migrants could be housed in," Gilmore said.
Yet the city told the crowd the migrants will move in for a minimum of six months.
"But I have a feeling it'll be much longer," Gilmore said.
The city says since last August, 11,500 asylum seekers arrived. We are talking 128 busloads since the start of the year.
They currently have 803 new arrivals sleeping at police stations.
"We know that we have to move asylum seekers out of our police stations to temporary shelters, and that temporary shelter right now is at capacity - which is why we're opening new shelters," said Deputy Mayor Beatriz Ponce de León.
While many in the crowd were loud and not happy, some embraced the move completely.
"A lot of the folks I talk to say they wholeheartedly support this," said Laura Reimeris.
There are 31 shelters across the city – including staging areas at both airports.