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City Council Adjourns, No Vote On Renaming Lake Shore Drive For Chicago's Founder

CHICAGO (CBS) -- A key Chicago City Council vote was delayed on Wednesday over renaming Lake Shore Drive for Chicago's founder, Jean Baptiste Point du Sable.

The meeting was abruptly adjourned before the vote, due to an unrelated dispute over the appointment of Celia Meza as the city's corporation counsel.

As CBS 2's Marissa Parra reports, it's been a back and forth process over the last few weeks on whether to rename Lake Shore Drive to Jean Baptiste Point du Sable Drive.

It would apply to the 17 miles of outer Lake Shore Drive from Hollywood to 67th Street.

The name change would be an homage to the city's Black Haitian founder, who many supporters of the name change said hasn't received his fair share of credit.

This has proven a point of contention in City Hall, and Wednesday's potential vote would have taken place after a month of delays.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot made suggestions like naming the Chicago Riverwalk for du Sable, creating a festival in his honor instead of renaming the drive.

Aldermen were supposed to vote on the renaming last month, but it was delayed by a procedural move.

If the proposal has enough support to pass, the mayor could exercise her veto power.

 

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