Green Galore (Ch 13)

Chicago's Parks District is responsible for managing 552 parks spanning more than 7,300 acres of land. Chicago stands out in another way. It stands out for being the one city in the United States that has the most land dedicated to parks. Within this extensive network of parks, the District claims 9 lake harbors which is the most extensive harbor system in the nation. In addition, it also manages 33 beaches, 9 museums, 16 historic lagoons, and 10 bird and wildlife gardens.

The park system is home to a very "iconic" fountain. The Buckingham fountain has been seen on every episode of Married With Children. In the opening title, the fountain is feature in all it's glory. Though the fountain is unable to run year around due to weather conditions, it does flow during the warmer months when the temperature allows.

Millennium Park is one of the new parks and most notable within Chicago. On any given day, even in the middle of cold winter (typically those minus the rain) one will encounter many wedding parties taking pictures to commemorate the occasion. It is one of the most popular places to take such pictures. This is not the only draw to this park. Another is feature is the Cloud Gate. This feature draws people in mass to investigate the one of a kind architectural design. The three-story, 110-ton steel sculpture with a price tag of $23 million at it's completion, is a crowd pleaser as many people spend countless minutes observing themselves in the reflection that is easily distorted. No matter where one visits within these parks, all are spotless and trash-free. The crews that maintain them keep a very rigorous cleaning schedule.

The Cook County Forest Preserves helps preserves several forest, prairie, wetland, streams, and lakes as natural habitats. This is not just dedicated to the preservation of these areas in Chicago, but all the surround land that encompasses Cook County. This municipal appointment is assigned to maintain trails used for hiking, biking, and riding rails, as well as paths that are used to reach picnicking cites. One unique aspect about this government program is that it also maintains several public golf courses. Yes, that is right, no country club membership needed.