University City Resident Wants Answers About Ackert Plaza Arch

connection to the Loop runs deep. He performs at at least once a month.

But the question that former city council member and longtime University City resident Elsie Glickert wanted to know at Monday night's council meeting was; Why is a statue of Berry going up at Ackert Plaza and Park, which is city owned property. 

When University City Patch asked City Manager Lehman Walker for an explanation, he said that the previous administration approved the statue's placement. "The previous mayor and former city manager signed off on it," he said. 

Walker said the City is looking into the situation.

The area that will house the statue is right next to Fitz's. It used to house the Ackert Plaza Arch. That was torn down in the current construction process.

In comments to the council, Glickert said no one in the current City administration from the Parks Department to the City Manager can find any papers detailing who gave the authorization to tear down the arch. She said the previous administration had "disposed,"of Ackert Plaza. A move she called a violation of the City Charter.

"By ordinance all city art monuments such as the Ackert Plaza Arch must go to the City Commission of Historical Preservation prior to removal. Was this done?" she asked. 

Also, she said disposing of Ackert Plaza would have had to come before a City Council meeting for consideration. She said there is no record of this occurring during either the present council or past councils.

"No council has authority to dispose of park property; it must go to a vote of the electorate," she said.

Glickert also said that on Friday she learned Delmar Blvd is going to be narrowed at the Ackert Plaza location to enlarge the plazza and to accommodate an electric signal. She noted that the signal issue has not come before the city council for consideration.

"Who are the mythical people who think they have this kind of authority? Who is paying for this?" asked Glickert.

An 8 foot bronze statue of Berry is slated to be installed in the former Ackert Walkway area in July. Ackert Park will also be renamed after Berry.