Joe, thanks for the pics..Those palms are beautiful...can't believe they toss them..sheesh..What a waste of taxpayers money...lol..
If anything, the city, 'which is broke,' should donate to conservatory's, etc. Lincoln Park can use more palms, same with Garfield Park.

Chicago's mayor wanted to spruce up the city, but he'll soon be retiring. Don't know if the new mayor will continue 'decking the streets,' in a manner of speaking.

Many people living on the east side of Chicago are growing tropicals 'palms' and succulent gardens. But they keep their plants..
There's a guy on the Palm forum (lives in Chicago) who has a huge Palm growing in his back yard..I don't know how he kept it growing since Chicago is terribly windy in winter, but he managed. Ice cold winds.

The next town over does the same as Chicago. They have huge Bird of Paradise, and smaller tropicals growing in huge containers. I heard they toss their plants, too.

Anyway, thanks for the pics..Toni

Oak Street Beachstro (bistro, get it?) isn't owned by the city, it is a privately owned business licensed by the city of Chicago so the city or the park district doesn't have any say in what happens to them. They don't cost the city or tax payers anything.

Still, you'd think they would find a home for them during the winter.

I'd be willing to go up there when they're ready to toss them and haul them off for them. I would only be doing my civic duty, so I wouldn't even charge them.

Surely they don't toss the palms too, do they?

I've seen the same thing up in Canada. Looked a little silly to me.