The city’s proposal to host the 2016 Summer Olympic Games has strong ties to Daniel Burnham’s Plan of Chicago. The bid’s motto, “Stir the soul,” plays on the famous words attributed to Burnham: “Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men’s blood.” And in the spirit of the Burnham Plan, the effort’s mastermind aims to leave a great physical legacy for future generations of Chicagoans.

Tribune architecture critic Blair Kamin spoke with Chicago 2016 chairman and CEO Patrick Ryan (left) about the bid. An edited transcript follows:

Q. What’s the relationship between the history of the modern Olympic Games, which were founded by French educator Pierre de Coubertin, and the Burnham Plan?

A. De Coubertin was developing the modern Olympic movement in Paris at the same time Burnham was developing the plan for the City of Chicago. There’s a real kinship between the two of them in their ideals and visions: the importance of body and mind; the importance of aiming high; and the importance of achieving lasting results.

Q. How are you drawing upon these connections in preparing Chicago’s bid for the 2016 Summer Games?

A. As we were planning our Olympic bid, we looked back in history to see the impact of the Burnham Plan. The vision that he had — of the lakefront and keeping the parks open and everything for the people — is something that really shapes our plan.

Q. What sort of legacy might the 2016 Games leave in Burnham Park and the portion of that park called Northerly Island?

A. We are talking about using Northerly Island a lot more to build upon Burnham’s vision. During the Games, Northerly Island would be the site of beach volleyball, sailing and canoe/kayak events. Afterward, we want to create an outdoor recreation oasis on the island.

In addition to a kayak slalom course, the center will have a permanent center for wall-climbing, rafting and kayaking. And there will be a center for youth sailing. We also want to develop the southern section of the island into a wetland environment, to promote conservation and increase the bird population.

Q. How about the southern end of Burnham Park, south of McCormick Place?

A. We’re going to have our Olympic Village on the site of Michael Reese Hospital. There will be a new harbor at 31st Street for sailboats and powerboats. We envision a sizable park over the site of the McCormick Place truck marshaling yards west of Lake Shore Drive. And we are looking at pedestrian bridges over Lake Shore Drive — at least one and hopefully more.

Q. Some park advocates fear that retaining the Olympic warmup pool in Washington Park after the Games would mar the park’s Frederick Law Olmsted-designed landscape. And there already are two swimming pools in Washington Park, one of them attached to a high school in the park.

A. Those pools are really quite old. Like most older pools, they’re too small. We believe that a new modern pool would be a legacy for aquatics and an urban legacy for the people of that community. The pool would go where the school pool is.

Q. It’s not easy being the new Daniel Burnham, is it?

A. We don’t propose to be Daniel Burnhams. What we have done is try to listen to the different constituencies and communities. We’ve been trying to balance all of this, and I believe that we’re coming out right in terms of getting a plan that can win while recognizing the importance of the input of the people from the neighborhoods.

source: featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com