Ald. Ray Lopez plans to introduce a City Council resolution urging the Chicago Park District to rename Northerly Island “Pope Leo XIV Northerly Island,” tying the underused lakefront park to Pope Leo XIV and Meigs Field’s history. The proposal comes as opponen
Northerly Island has long sat as an underused slice of Chicago’s lakefront. Now Ald. Ray Lopez wants to give it a new identity—one tied to Pope Leo XIV, the homegrown pontiff who captured national attention after becoming the first American pope.
Lopez plans to introduce a resolution at Wednesday’s City Council meeting that. if approved. would urge the Chicago Park District to rename the nature park as “Pope Leo XIV Northerly Island.” The idea is rooted in Meigs Field’s legacy: Meigs Field’s only runway was carved with giant Xs after former Mayor Richard M. Daley ordered bulldozers sent in “the dark of night.”.
Mayor Brandon Johnson has repeatedly pointed to Chicago pride when talking about the pope, saying, “Everything dope, including the pope, comes from Chicago,” and he has been looking for a way to honor the pope with something lasting.
Lopez argues Northerly Island is the right centerpiece—large enough, visible enough, and able to do more than just memorialize. He describes the park as a space “that brings people to the lakefront,” and says it could be repurposed to bring more life to the location.
“It’s a beautiful space that brings people to the lakefront. It’s a venue that we can uplift and use more. And it’s very fitting because it will allow us to not only rename it, but repurpose it and bring some vitality to that location,” Lopez told the Sun-Times.
He also imagines the name itself creating a setting for faith and ceremony. If Pope Leo XIV visits Chicago—an invitation Johnson has extended—Lopez suggests the renamed island could host an outdoor mass.
“Perhaps if we rename Northerly Island. that could be a location where Pope Leo. should he visit Chicago as the invitation has been extended. could do an outdoor mass there and provide not only a beautiful outdoor ceremony on the lake to express our Catholic [faith]. but make it a draw for the faithful. ” Lopez said.
Lopez’s proposal also carries an institutional complication: while he calls Northerly Island the next best option, he acknowledges that “Rate Field is tied up with a naming rights deal,” and therefore may not be available for a pope tribute.
Beyond the renaming, Lopez wants the park to become a kind of living story. He raised the possibility of using part of the building that previously served as the passenger terminal for Meigs Field to tell the pope’s life story.
“This allows us to honor someone who is alive, who has done something that no American has ever done, and is now the leader of one of the world’s major faiths,” Lopez said.
He said there are “plenty of potential possibilities” for how the space could educate the public about the pope’s life, ministry, calling, and message. But he doesn’t want the result to feel like a Catholic-only destination.
“I don’t just want it to be like a Catholic island. This is something that transcends not just the Catholic faith but our connection as a greater Chicago community,” Lopez said.
Still, not everyone is convinced that a new name will change what visitors experience. Brian Gladstein, executive director of Friends of the Parks, agreed that Northerly Island is “underutilized” and said it needs more effort to “highlight” the urban oasis.
“He’s not wrong to say” Northerly Island is underutilized, Gladstein said, adding that more needs to be done for people to see what the lakefront can offer.
But Gladstein warned that renaming it “Pope Leo XIV Northerly Island” won’t amount to much if the park’s problems aren’t addressed.
“We need a new vision for Northerly Island and how make it into a world class park… It’s a prime location that needs resources to make it a full and open park,” Gladstein said.
Gladstein pointed to how the park has been used, including the concert venue. He said the concert setup “was never supposed to be permanent” and was intended as “a temporary concert venue.” He also acknowledged that the venue brings revenue to the Park District. but argued the city hasn’t thought hard enough about what that revenue costs in terms of access.
“We’re sensitive to the fact that it brings in revenue to the Park District. But we never really analyzed that. There are other private events that happen that restrict access to that beach — and it’s a beautiful beach people should know about. A lot more marketing could be done to highlight that beach and park,” Gladstein said.
If Lopez’s resolution moves forward on Wednesday and the Park District embraces the change. Northerly Island could become the city’s most visible tribute to Pope Leo XIV—tying together Meigs Field’s complicated past. Chicago’s Catholic spotlight. and a lakefront space that many say still hasn’t reached its full potential.
Northerly Island Pope Leo XIV Brandon Johnson Ald. Ray Lopez Chicago Park District Meigs Field Richard M. Daley lakefront park City Council