Garfield Park Conservatory closes after sustaining catastrophic damage in hailstorm (Chicago: insurance, houses)

[Savoir Faire]

"The Garfield Park Conservatory sustained catastrophic damage in last night’s hailstorm, shattering approximately half of the glass panes in the roofs of the historic Fern Room, Show House, and nine propagation greenhouses. The glass panes in the Desert House also sustained significant damage."

"Until the roofs are repaired, rain will cause the ponds to overflow, and direct sunlight will destroy and kill the plants that have been so carefully and lovingly conserved for so many years."

The conservatory is a true Chicago gem that has no admission charge. Please help out if you can.

Video footage shows how extensive damage was.

Garfield Park Conservatory

[chet everett]

OMG! My first reaction is to help in some way. My second reaction is the HIGHLY connected dynasties that rule Chicago both politically (think George Dunne, John Daley...) and economically (Pat Ryan /Aon, W. Clement Stone, Allstate, etc) make thir dough on INSURANCE surely someone most have some kind of protection that will enable the Conservatory to carry on...

[prairiestate]

It's easy enough to fix. All Rahm has to do is say no to one or two people asking for a patronage job, and he can announce he "found" the money to fix the conservatory and look like a hero.