Chicago Adventure

A Trip to Millennium Park
By Shannon Dale

The first thing that I can say about Millennium Park is that it is beautiful. A fresh break of green from the dark stone and cement of the city. The first aspect of the park that drew the attention of our group was the two large columns with projected faces overlooking a small pool. The columns gushed water into an almost exaggerated puddle, where children splashed around. The Park has a very calm feel to it. We found most people walking through the gardens or sitting on one of hundreds of park benches scattered around the area. The Park was filled with a very diverse group of people ranging from all ages, to all ethnicities. The attractions in the Park were equally diverse, ranging from a small “park within a park” filled with indigenous plants from Chicago’s past, a large modern metal structure that covered one half of a large outdoor auditorium, to a Greek style fountain.
The view from the Park was extraordinary. It was fascinating to see the old limestone buildings overshadowed by the large skyscrapers in the background. Our group was especially interested in the juxtaposition of the new and old within the city. This theme continued within the park as well with the juxtaposition of the old (the park benches made out of old wooden railroad tracks) to the very modern (the Bean). The large, winding metal bridge (that was supposed to look like the winding Chicago river) crossed over the expressway and opened to a glorious scene of the bustling city. I felt like a tourist as I got a bit picture happy with my camera. Even though I had visited Millennium Park in the past, it is a completely different experience to really explore the park. It was the first time that I discovered the charming Park Grille on the Plaza, and the winding metal bridge. Millennium Park is a calm oasis away from the commotion of the city, yet easily accessible to everyone.