Jackson Park, in spring. (Patty Wetli / WTTW News)

The Jackson Park Advisory Council has canceled its February meeting due to concerns related to COVID-19, delaying an anticipated vote on controversial changes to the group’s bylaws.

The council's monthly meeting had been scheduled for Feb. 14, but the need to check attendees for proof of vaccination and to allow for social distancing created difficulties, the council said in its February newsletter. The next meeting is set for March 14.

Proposed changes to the council’s bylaws were presented back in December, affecting the rules surrounding membership and the eligibility to vote at meetings. People would have to attend four meetings in a 12-month period (up from two) and volunteer at three events or activities in order to vote.

Some called the proposed requirements discriminatory and exclusionary, while others argued that a demonstrable commitment to the park was a reasonable expectation. 

With the announcement that the Obama Presidential Center would be located in Jackson Park, attendance at the advisory council’s meetings has increased exponentially, and the proposed bylaw changes are designed to adjust to the influx, according to Louise McCurry, the council's president.

Contact Patty Wetli: @pattywetli | (773) 509-5623 |  [email protected]