Chicago begins relocation of migrants staying in park district facilities
Nayibe Garcia lived at Gage Park with other migrants for four months and said she is grateful for the care she has received and knows it was temporary.
By Noel Brennan
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CHICAGO (WBBM) — Hundreds of migrants lodging at park district facilities around Chicago are getting ready to move. Some have already relocated to nearby shelters. It’s part of the city’s plan to reopen field houses to the public this summer. The process is slated to take a few weeks to complete.
It started Saturday morning with just two field houses. The latest data from the city shows there are still more than 500 migrants living at park district facilities.
Nayibe Garcia played baseball as a little girl in Columbia. And now she loves to watch from the field house at Gage Park. She has lived there with other migrants for four months and said she is grateful for the care she has received and knows it was temporary.
Migrants have been living at five park district field houses since last summer.
Starting Saturday, the city moved migrants from Leone Park and Piotrowski Park, but it didn’t look like moving day at Gage Park, where more than 250 migrants still live.
Nayibe said the city told them the temporary shelter would close on April 13.
The city said migrants will be moved from the remaining park district field houses to nearby shelters over the next few weeks. Specific dates have not been confirmed.
Nayibe said she wants to work and make a better future for her family no matter where life takes her next.
The city said it will prioritize moving migrants to the closest shelter, and children can continue attending the same school during and after the move.
Once all migrants have been relocated, the park district will restore its facilities and start programming again.
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