Chicago Botanic Garden

for immediate release

Flooding Closes Chicago Botanic Garden
for Third Consecutive Day

 

Media Only:
Julie McCaffrey
(847) 835-8213
jmccaffrey@chicagobotanic.org

GLENCOE, Ill. (Sept. 16, 2008) — The Chicago Botanic Garden will be closed Tuesday, Sept. 16 for the third day, due to flooding from this weekend's record-setting storms. Images at http://www.chicagobotanic.org/pr/garden_flood show the extent of flooding.

The Garden closed Saturday afternoon and has remained closed to the public due to an estimated 100 million gallons of rainwater runoff that inundated bridges, roads, gardens, lakes, rivers, parking lots, and walkways throughout the Garden's nine islands and 23 display gardens.

"We are grateful to Cook County Board President Todd Stroger and Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich for their decisions to declare Cook County a disaster area. As the water recedes, the Garden will make a final determination on damage," said Sophia Siskel, president and CEO of the Chicago Botanic Garden.

Garden staff will devote Tuesday to clearing and cleaning of impacted areas of the Garden in preparation for a hoped-for reopening on Wednesday, Sept. 17.

For more information and updates, visit www.chicagobotanic.org or call (847) 835-5440.

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Editors, please note: The Chicago Botanic Garden's newsroom is online at www.chicagobotanic.org/pr. For digital images, contact Julie McCaffrey at (847) 835-8213 or at jmccaffrey@chicagobotanic.org.

The Chicago Botanic Garden, one of the green treasures of the Forest Preserve District of Cook County, is a 385-acre living plant museum featuring 23 distinct display gardens surrounded by lakes, as well as a prairie and woodlands. With events, programs and activities for all ages, the Garden is open every day of the year. Admission is free; select event fees apply. Parking is $15; free for members. On Tuesdays, senior citizens age 62 and older pay just $7 for parking. The Garden is located at 1000 Lake Cook Road in Glencoe, Ill. Visit www.chicagobotanic.org, or call (847) 835-5440 for seasonal hours, images of the Garden and commuter transportation information.

The Chicago Botanic Garden is managed by the Chicago Horticultural Society. It opened to the public in 1972 and is home to the Joseph Regenstein, Jr. School of the Chicago Botanic Garden, offering a broad array of adult classes in plant science, landscape design and gardening arts. Through the Division of Plant Science and Conservation, Garden scientists work on plant conservation, research and environmental initiatives that have global impact. The Center for Teaching and Learning brings the wonder of nature and plants to children, teens and teachers. The Garden's Horticultural Therapy and Community Gardening programs provide nationally recognized community outreach and service programs. The Garden is also breaking new ground in urban horticulture and jobs training through a 15-acre project in the North Lawndale neighborhood of Chicago called Windy City Harvest. The Chicago Botanic Garden is accredited by the American Association of Museums and is a member of the American Public Gardens Association (APGA). In 2006, the Chicago Botanic Garden received the Award for Garden Excellence, given yearly by the APGA and Horticulture magazine to a public garden that exemplifies the highest standards of horticultural practices and has shown a commitment to supporting and demonstrating best gardening practices.