Dear Editor: As a former resident of the Sandburg neighborhood, I was encouraged to see the story on the Imagination Center.
I was surprised, though, to see no mention of former District 17 Alder Samba Baldeh. From the day he was elected in April 2015 and for three terms on the Common Council through April 2021, Baldeh did everything possible to move the library and Imagination Center forward. Twice our current mayor removed the Imagination Center from the Horizon List for the capital budget. Baldeh fought to get it back on track and keep it there.
Key work took place during this time, including hiring of the first planner for the project, Kevin Englebert, who conducted many meetings with potential partners and neighborhood residents, evolving the Imagination Center concept…