CHICAGO — The long-waged fight by the group Protect Our Parks to halt construction of former President Barack Obama’s Jackson Park museum and campus has reached the end of the road in the federal district courts. But the plaintiffs plan to take the case to the appellate level, continuing a yearslong battle against a project that is well underway.
On Thursday, U.S. District Judge John Robert Blakey entered a final judgment in favor of the defendants — including the Obama Foundation, several federal agencies and the city of Chicago — in the Northern District of Illinois.
The Obama Foundation celebrated the decision as a milestone, declaring the decision “a victory for all who have worked alongside us on this journey to bring investment and opportunity to Chicago’s South Side. With its decision today, the court is making it possible for us to deliver on our commitment to create a world-class destination that will attract people from around the globe and stand as a reminder to all — but particularly young people in Chicago — that individuals have the power to be the change they want to see.”
