While aviation interests and commentators decried the move, supporters of the park believed it was in the city's best interest for the land to be a park. For example, the Lake Michigan Federation (later the Alliance for the Great Lakes) released in February 2001 an urban wilderness plan for the site. Instead of calling it "Northerly Island" a reference to the northernmost landmass of four others that were never built under the 1909 Plan of Chicago, "Sanctuary Point" would allow access for many more people than the fairly exclusive use as an airstrip.
While aviation interests and commentators decried the move, supporters of the park believed it was in the city's best interest for the land to be a park. Fo.r example, the Lake Michigan Federation (later the Alliance for the Great Lakes) released in February 2001 an urban wilderness plan for the site. Instead of calling it "Northerly Island" a reference to the northernmost landmass of, four others that were never built under the 1909 Plan of Chicago "Sanctuary Point" would allow access for many more people than the fairly exclusive use as an airstrip