ORDINANCE
Rainbow Pylons and the Legacy Walk
WHEREAS, pursuant to the procedures set forth in the Municipal Code of Chicago (the "Municipal Code"), Sections 2-120-630 through -690, the Commission on Chicago Landmarks (the "Commission") has determined that the Rainbow Pylons and the Legacy Walk, located at 3244-3710 N. Halsted Street (evens), 3243-3711 N. Halsted Street (odds), Chicago, Illinois, as depicted in Exhibit A attached hereto and incorporated herein, satisfies three (3) criteria for landmark designation as set forth in Sections 2-120-620 (1), (4), and (6) of the Municipal Code; and
WHEREAS, the Rainbow Pylons were the first streetscape elements designed to recognize and celebrate Chicago's lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) community. The pylons physically represent a significant historic cultural shift in Chicago and the United States in the 1990s to honor the rights, existence, and importance of the LGBTQ community; and
WHEREAS, the Rainbow Pylons and the Legacy Walk serve a critical role in raising the public visibility of LGBTQ lives; and
WHEREAS, the Legacy Walk was the first memorial to recognize the accomplishments and contributions of LGBTQ people in world history. This memorial walk is uniquely accessible to the public as an educational initiative aimed at all people; and
WHEREAS, the Legacy Walk is a unique and important milestone in acknowledging the contributions of the LGBTQ community to world history. The diverse range of contributions represented are both educational and inspirational to all, especially those that have been denied LGBTQ role models; and
WHEREAS, the Rainbow Pylons are exemplary of the types of cultural streetscape markers that were designed by local Chicago architectural firms as part of a series of street beautification projects undertaken between 1990 and 2002; and
WHEREAS, the overall design, although controversial at the time of its installation, was developed with the community as well as local bus...
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