“Over these last 10 days, I have heard stories from people near and far about all the special memories and moments they’ve had at the Gardens – weddings, proms, quinceañeras, performances, festivals, engagements, gatherings with family and friends, the list goes on,” Wysgalla said. The loss of earnings from the pier’s primary sources of revenue such as the Centennial Wheel, Children’s Museum and Chicago Shakespeare Theater have resulted in a projected deficit of $20 million this year alone, according to the Pier, which called the loss “devastating.” “It’s incumbent upon the organization to develop attractions that support the maintenance, viability, and programmatic offerings of Navy Pier,” the spokesperson added.Ĭhicago’s Navy Pier, a popular tourist attraction and nonprofit organization, temporarily closed beginning in September 2020 for more than a year, in efforts to “limit the financial burden and impact” of the coronavirus pandemic. “Navy Pier’s partnership with Illuminarium will transform the one-acre, hardscape Crystal Gardens from an underused garden and high-end private event space to a year-round anchor destination for families,” a Navy Pier spokesperson told CNN. Construction will begin early to mid-2022, with the attraction opening in the fall or winter, CNN affiliate WLS reported. The new entertainment experience, “Illuminarium,” is set to be constructed inside the former garden. She also started an Instagram account, dedicated to saving the garden, where hundreds of people have left comments sharing their memories of Crystal Gardens and their hopes of protecting it.Ĭrystal Gardens is currently home to more than 80 soaring palm trees and enormous monstera plants, among other tropical greenery, all enclosed inside a six-story glass atrium scattered with dancing fountains. It has so far garnered more than 18,000 signatures. Wysgalla launched a petition on September 16 to save the garden. ![]() “I know how precious green space is and how rare it is to have an indoor space like this in the city, so I would be devastated if the Crystal Gardens were torn down.”Ĭhicago's Navy Pier to shut down temporarily due to Covid-19 pandemic There is nothing like the Crystal Gardens in Chicago, and it is one of very few free indoor green spaces available to the people of this community,” Wysgalla told CNN. “The Gardens offer a chance to interact with nature and increase your appreciation for the natural world. Now a 25-year-old recent graduate of the University of Illinois Chicago, where she earned her master’s degree in environmental health, Wysgalla is leading an effort to save the one-acre indoor garden. ![]() Celine Wysgalla remembers the first time she stepped foot into Crystal Gardens as a 5-year-old, her tiny body overshadowed by ancient trees that towered above her.įor more than two decades, the indoor garden at Chicago’s Navy Pier has been a cherished escape from bustling city life, a reminder of the peace and quiet reflection that only comes with being immersed in nature.īut the beloved tropical garden, which has always been free to the public, is set to be replaced with a new paid digital experience.
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