City Council rejects renaming part of Lake Shore Drive after John Baptiste Point du Sable

On Wednesday, Chicago aldermen were debating a name change for Chicago’s most iconic roadway.

Under a proposal submitted by Ald. David Moore (17th), a lengthy portion of Lake Shore Drive would be renamed in honor of city founder John Baptiste Point du Sable.  

The 17-mile stretch of road ranges from Hollywood Avenue in Edgewater to 67th St. in Woodlawn.

In the end, the City Council, for now, rejected the name change, the Chicago Tribune reports.

The name change would carry a $2.5 million price tag, but with growing calls for social justice and recognition, many believe it is time to honor Chicago’s very first non-indigenous settler, the Haitian born Dusable.

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People along the lakefront Wednesday said they support the change.  

"I mean it’s iconic. It’s like, I am from California so it’s like renaming Pacific Coast Highway," said Chanthana Tsai. "So I think that, you know people will get used to it. If not, they’ll revert back to calling it Lake Shore. The same with like Willis and Sears Tower."

And others feel it is important to give DuSable more recognition.

"I think that it’s a way to honor someone that was important in the history of our city," Sheri Wernsing said.

People who live on the inner drive would reportedly keep their Lake shore Drive addresses. The name change would impact the outer drive only.  

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