Peddlers to be banned from Wrigley Field area?

The brick-and-mortar businesses are able to lobby Ald. Tunney. Street vendors are not. “Peddlers” will be banned.

the bucket boys playing out on sheffield throughout the entire game while i sat down the first base line. i have never had an issue with the t-shirt vendors in the neighborhood, but the banging of the buckets can be a bit much. that being said, it is obviously a tremendously difficult situation to tell certain groups to move 2 blocks away while allowing others to stay near wrigley. i don’t know, i voted for the ‘yes’ option

…they are worried no taxes are being collected?

I knew right away this a move to get rid of the bucket boys.

A blatant cash grab by the tenants, and borderline racist in the reasoning that they’re giving. Two blocks out moves them south of Addison, and further east past the El. You might as well just ask the city to revoke their licenses; it’s the same result, and a lot less insulting.

And just for the record, the vendors are a part of the Wrigley experience. If you’re asking “real” fans, I think most will tell you they’re a non-issue; even the bucket boys.

You literally cannot walk down the sidewalk on Clark Street even on non-game days on the weekends.

I’m not sure if the smoking ban has increased the number of people just standing around outside of the bars but it is definitely a nuisance to anyone wanting to walk down the sidewalk.

Personally, I think the street peddlers have very little to do with the congestion.

And this is all about power and who has it. The vendors do not have it.

I can see why Tunney is doing this. The brick and mortar stores are part of his constituency. He doees need to support them, but, please, don’t insult anyone. This has nothing to do with safety or the Wrigley experience. Has anyone ever said “I’m not going to Wrigley anymore because of the street vendors”? Has there ever been any reported incident where the positioning of a street vendor caused any sort of injury or damage?

Puh-lease. Tunney is protecting his businesses.

they should block off all 4 streets around Wrigley starting 2 hours before the game until an hour or so after, something similar to Fenway. Those sidewalks are just too small with the huge crowds and the vendors dont have anything to do with it.

STREET PEDDLER AND PERFORMER ORDINANCE

At the June 29th City Council meeting, Alderman Tunney introduced an ordinance intended to limit the area around Wrigley Field that can be used by street peddlers and street performers during games and events. The ordinance is intended to address the public safety, congestion and noise issues that have magnified in recent years.

The proposal would begin two hours before and end two hours after baseball games or concerts and expand the prohibition zone to include both sides of Addison and Waveland between Wilton and Racine Avenues, and both sides of Clark and Sheffield between Newport Avenue and Grace Street.

We appreciate your feedback. Please email our service office at ward44@cityofchicago.org.

Here’s what I have to say… PUH-TOOEY!!!

I fail to see how the peddlers are a public safety or congestion issue. They carry everything with them and they’re supposed to keep moving. Exception being after the game where they apparently are allowed to stand in one place across street outside of gates. I see several of them lined up on the curb next to firehouse on Waveland across from Gate K after games.

The big plywood souvenir stand monstrosities are more of a public safety and congestion issue. Yes, they’re on private property but they’re almost always right on the property line so all the fans looking at the souvenirs bunch up in front and folks that just want to walk by have to go out into the street.

Same thing for the licensed ticket broker/scalpers. They legally can’t sell them on the sidewalk (you’re supposed to step inside their door, go up to their second floor office, etc.) but they all have off-duty cops protecting their operations so they pretty much do what they want. They have ‘barkers’ out in front yelling “Tickets! Tickets!” holding fistfuls of tickets. Again, those that are interested gather around in front, and folks who just want to walk by have to spill out into the street.

As for the bucket boys… yeah, they are loud and obnoxious. So if noise level really is an issue then I could see trying to do something about it. But I think doing so would smack of selective enforcement and border on racism, and I think the city has enough things to worry about (like parking meters) – they don’t need the Reverends Jackson and Pfleger making noise in front of City Hall and Wrigley. Besides they’re supposed to be licensed and I’ve seen cops shut down the ones that don’t have have their licenses. One cop breaks their drumsticks and drops them down the sewer.

but the 1st amendment has something to say about this.

If I’m interested in something, I check on it. A couple weeks ago (7/2) after the game, my out-of-town guests wanted to get some stuff. We stopped at a bunch of the vendors nearby. It didn’t even dawn on my what exactly they were selling.

Before every game (unless it’s a rooftop game), I’m sure to get 1 or 2 of the 1lb bag of peanuts.

I think the buckets are what the birds cue on. Seems like they start swarming right when the buckets kick in – right around the 7th inning.

I just want to bang on the drum all day