Skip to content
  • Subscribe
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Youtube
  • Instagram
  • Email
  • Home
  • News
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment
  • Features
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe to Ray’s Columns
Suburban Chicagoland

Suburban Chicagoland

Original News, Features & Opinion on local and regional news you won't find anywhere else

  • About
    • About
    • Advertise
    • Our Writers
      • Ray Hanania
      • Bill Lipinski
      • Biography: Aaron Hanania
      • Steve Metsch
      • Steve Neuhaus
    • Terms of Service
    • Privacy Policy
    • Reach Out
  • Sections
    • Events
    • Opinion
    • News
    • Features
    • Seniors
    • Comic Strip
  • Library
    • “MIdnight Flight” Online Book
      • Midnight Flight Book Overview
      • Midnight Flight Introduction
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 1
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 2
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 3
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 4
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 5
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 6
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 7
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 8
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 9
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 10
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 11
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 12
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 13
    • Villages, Cities & Towns
    • Federal Office Holders
    • County Officials
    • Legislators
  • Subscribe to Ray’s Columns
  • Comment
  • Podcast
    • Ray Hanania on Politics
    • Two Guys on Politics
    • Hanania on Tiktok
  • News Wire
  • Toggle search form
  • Andrew Boutros US Attorney Illinois
    Former Chicago Attorney Sentenced to Two and a Half Years in Federal Prison for Tax Fraud and Witness Tampering Crime
  • Cook County Commissioner Frank Aguilar with Chicago region veterans. No one supports veterans more than Aguilar
    Cook County Commissioner Frank Aguilar honors veterans at first of monthly VetConnect Workshops at district office Cook County
  • Coffee & Conversation for the public on Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2025, featuring two speakers who will address individual fatigue and how to empower your personal health and activism.
    Orland Fire hosts Coffee & Conversation on individual fatigue and personal health Events
  • Andrew Boutros US Attorney Illinois
    Man Sentenced to a Year and a Half in Federal Prison for Covid-Relief Fraud Crime
  • Photo submitted by Jeffery M. Leving and Associates
    Leving team protected dad’s daughter from danger and restored his peace of mind Chicago
  • 05-23-25 Jeffery M. Leving
    Children of divorce caught in the middle during the holidays Blogger
  • Muslim prayer tent, O'Hare Airport Uber/Lyft Staging Area
    O’Hare Officials say they will pursue “more permanent solutions” for Muslim prayer Tent Chicago
  • Cook County Commissioner Frank Aguilar
    Cook County Commissioner Frank Aguilar Gives Update on His Work to Support Victims of July Floods in Cook County’s 16th District Cook County
  • Adel and Omar Nofal Eagle scouts, the 224th and 225th Eagle Scouts in Troop 318’s 87-year history
    Twin Brothers from Orland Park’s Troop 318 Achieve Scouting’s Highest Honor: Eagle Scout Government
  • Andrew Boutros US Attorney Illinois
    United States Attorney’s Office in Chicago Creates New Section to Prosecute Criminal Healthcare Fraud Violations Business
  • Cook County Treasurer Maria Papas
    Don’t Pay for What You Can Get for Free: How to Claim Your Property Tax Refunds  Cook County
  • 05-23-25 Jeffery M. Leving
    Dad reunited with grieving children after tragic death of mother Dads' Rights
  • Arthur Kallow CLE August 20 2025
    Leving Matrimonial Law Seminar to Address Complex Litigation Motions and Exceptions to the Hearsay Rule Arthur Kallow
  • Orland Park Mayor Jim Dodge
    Village of Orland Park Receives Clean Audit Opinion for Fiscal Year 2024 Government
  • US Congressman Mike Quigley, who represents the 5th Congressional District in Illinois and serves as the Congressional Ukraine Caucus.
    Congressmen slam President Trump’s meeting on Ukraine with accused war criminal Putin breaking news
Orland Township supervisor Paul O'Grady

O’Grady proposes using vacant Andrew land for popular Pioneers Football league

Posted on February 18, 2020February 18, 2020 By Ray Hanania No Comments on O’Grady proposes using vacant Andrew land for popular Pioneers Football league
SHARE THIS STORY
            
 
  

O’Grady proposes using vacant Andrew land for popular Pioneers Football league

Orland Township Supervisor Paul O’Grady called on the Village of Orland Park, residents and local leaders to join in supporting a plan to convert land vacated by the Andrew Corporation to be used as fields for the popular Pioneer Football League.

O’Grady noted that after the Andrew Corporation closed its facility at 10500 W. 153rd Street in more than 15 years ago, a housing developer who had planned to develop the land backed out. The land has remained vacant and unused but the consultant had concluded that such a center would be a significant “revenue generator” for the taxpayers.

Orland Park spent $35,000 to conduct a land-use study in September 2018 to build a sports facility that would include a 30-acre playing field to support the local travel Baseball and Football leagues, but no action was ever taken.

Orland Township supervisor Paul O'Grady
Orland Township supervisor Paul O’Grady

“For more than four decades, the Orland Park Pioneers Football, Cheer and Flag organization has been the foundation of the Orland Park football community and very popular with Orland Park families,” O’Grady said.

“They have been instrumental in teaching thousands of Orland Park children not only the game of football, but the value of teamwork, respect, hard work and sportsmanship, to name just a few character-building traits our children have learned being a part of this outstanding institution.”

O’Grady said he is concerned that despite a public discussion, and money spend on studies, nothing has been decided and the status of the leagues are uncertain.

“For the past few years, there has been a debate on where Pioneer teams should practice and play. For many years, the program has utilized the John Humphry Complex, the only ‘football’ field listed on the village’s website. Alternate field ideas offered by Mayor Pekau, Schussler Park and Centennial Park, have been rejected, first and foremost, for safety issues,” O’Grady said.

“Schussler Park, while a very nice facility, is not equipped to handle the hundreds of children who participate in the Pioneers program every year. Additionally, it is right in the middle of a residential area, which would present traffic and parking nightmares for those residents as well as the busy parents driving their children to and from practices and games.”

O’Grady said that despite Centennial Park being spacious with plenty of parking, it may be too close to the Metra Lot causing potential safety issues for the children and “could be a recipe for disaster” in the event of mixing so any children with motorists anxious to return home after a long day at work.

Orland Park Sports Complex plan for vacant Andrew Land
Orland Park Sports Complex plan for vacant Andrew Land

He said the vacant Andrew Corporation land is the perfect solution. He said plans to develop the property fell through for a variety of reasons including a decline in the housing market and prohibitive development costs.

“That has left the village with an eyesore in the middle of our community,” O’Grady said.

“I urge the village to approach the Andrew Corporation about donating the site, and thereby taking a beneficial tax break, and turn the vacant property into a premier, year-round sports complex.”

O’Grady said funding for the rehabilitation of the land could potentially be acquired through State of Illinois Capitol Improvement grant funds, Park and Recreational Facilities grants, corporate donations and sponsorships, among as long list of grant sources.

“Putting the Andrew Corporation land to this type of use can be beneficial to the Orland Park community in many ways: it can give the Pioneers program a proper and permanent home; it removes an eyesore from our community; it can provide a facility for additional sporting events and youth activities; it can potentially increase revenue through more restaurant and lodging use; it can create more corporate and community partnerships and strengthen the ones already in place,” O’Grady argued.

“Finally, it can put Orland Park on the map as having a premier youth sporting facility, showing our commitment to investing in our children. I urge the village to join me in thinking outside the box and explore this possibility for the Orland Park Pioneers Football Program and for the good of all of Orland Park’s youth.”

newswire info
  • Author
  • Recent Posts
Ray Hanania
Ray Hanania
Ray Hanania is an award-winning columnist, author & former Chicago City Hall reporter (1977-1992). A veteran who served during the Vietnam War and the recipient of four SPJ Peter Lisagor Awards for column writing, Hanania writes weekly opinion columns on mainstream American & Chicagoland topics for the Southwest News-Herald, Des Plaines Valley News, the Regional News, The Reporter Newspapers, and Suburban Chicagoland.  

His award winning columns can be found at www.HANANIA.COM Subscribe FREE today

Hanania also writes about Middle East issues for the Arab News, and The Arab Daily News criticizing government policies in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Hanania was named "Best Ethnic American Columnist" by the New America Media in November 2007, and is the 2009 recipient of the SPJ National Sigma Delta Chi Award for column writing.

Email Ray Hanania at [email protected].

Follow RayHanania at Twitter
Ray Hanania
Latest posts by Ray Hanania (see all)
  • Former Chicago Attorney Sentenced to Two and a Half Years in Federal Prison for Tax Fraud and Witness Tampering - August 28, 2025
  • Cook County Commissioner Frank Aguilar honors veterans at first of monthly VetConnect Workshops at district office - August 28, 2025
  • Orland Fire hosts Coffee & Conversation on individual fatigue and personal health - August 28, 2025
  • Tweet

SHARE THIS STORY
            
 
  
 
 
 
           
Cook County, Features, General Topics, Government, News, Orland Park, Politics, Sports, Suburban Chicagoland, Taxes Tags:Andrew Corporation, football community, Orland Park, Orland residents, park area, Pioneers Football, recreation, sports, vacant field, vacant land, village of Orland Park

Post navigation

Previous Post: Welch to Lead Qualifications Challenge Committee
Next Post: Review: I’m Not a Comedian … I’m Lenny Bruce

Related Posts

  • Scorching fun in Bridgeview Festival
  • LyonsFest 2023 will take place from Friday, June 30 - Tuesday, July 4 at Veterans Park in Lyons. There will be carnival rides and games, live music, food, drinks, art/craft vendors, and more. The fest will be open each day from 4 PM - 11 PM and entry is free.
    LyonsFest begins Friday, June 30 at Veterans Park Culture
  • 3rd Congressional District Congresswoman Marie Newman
    Newman convenes transit leaders as part of Biden’s American Jobs Plan Chicago
  • The Dugout reopens News
  • Wolves start Thursday, lose Friday Opinion
  • Illinois House Speaker Michael J. Madigan. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia
    Legislative leaders release report on sexual harassment Government

More Related Articles

Larry David, creator fo Seinfeld and the hit HBO series "Curb Your Enthusiasm". Photo courtesy of Wikipedia Larry David stole my life and put it on TV Blogger
OFPD Fire Chief Michael Schofield, former OFPD Board President Christopher Evoy, and OFPD President John Brudnak Orland Fire District salutes outgoing board trustees Features
In Suburbs vs Chicago, the city needs to improve Opinion
Former Mayor Dan McLaughlin announces bid in Orland Park Cook County
Court rejects lawsuit to force Orland Fire District to change Fire Alarm response system DuPage
Judge Anna Demacopoulos Four Cook County Judges you should watch out for Blogger

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Login with your Social ID
Subscribe to Ray Hanania's column graphic

Enter Your Email to Subscribe to Ray Hanania’s Columns

  • OPINION
  • 05-23-25 Jeffery M. Leving
    Children of divorce caught in the middle during the holidays
    August 27, 2025
  • Cook County Treasurer Maria Papas
    We Can Help You Understand Your Property Taxes—In Nearly Any Language
    August 8, 2025
  • Cook County Treasurer Maria Papas
    How My Office Handles Billions — And Protects Every Penny
    July 25, 2025
  • 06-04-25 Two Guys on Politics Background Zoom LOGO with images
    Video Podcast on Trump’s problems with Jeffrey Epstein, Netanyahu’s coalition in jeopardy
    July 19, 2025
  • Cook County Treasurer Maria Papas
    Everything you need to know about your Property Index Number or PIN
    July 12, 2025
  • The-Kings-Pawn-Book-300-x-300.png
  • NEWS
  • Andrew Boutros US Attorney Illinois
    Former Chicago Attorney Sentenced to Two and a Half Years in Federal Prison for Tax Fraud and Witness Tampering
    August 28, 2025
  • Cook County Commissioner Frank Aguilar with Chicago region veterans. No one supports veterans more than Aguilar
    Cook County Commissioner Frank Aguilar honors veterans at first of monthly VetConnect Workshops at district office
    August 28, 2025
  • Coffee & Conversation for the public on Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2025, featuring two speakers who will address individual fatigue and how to empower your personal health and activism.
    Orland Fire hosts Coffee & Conversation on individual fatigue and personal health
    August 28, 2025
  • Andrew Boutros US Attorney Illinois
    Man Sentenced to a Year and a Half in Federal Prison for Covid-Relief Fraud
    August 28, 2025
  • Photo submitted by Jeffery M. Leving and Associates
    Leving team protected dad’s daughter from danger and restored his peace of mind
    August 28, 2025
John Kass Columns

Order the book PoweR PR; Ethnic Activists Guide to Strategic Communications

YOUTUBE VIDEOS

CLICK TO SUBSCRIBE TO RAY HANANIA'S YOUTUBE VIDEOS


Click here to view the video on YouTube or use the widget below.

Follow Ray Hanania at
Twitter
Facebook
TitkTok
BlueSky
RayHanania Columns

Creative Commons License
All works on this website is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Do not edit original work. Give credit to the original source.

Categories

Copyright © 2022 Suburban Chicagoland & Urban Strategies Group

Powered by PressBook Premium theme