Outlaw Motorcycle Club A Bad Neighbor For New Playground: Pastor

A local pastor wants the Joliet Park District to buy out the Outlaw Motorcycle Club so a playground set to be renovated in the coming weeks will be more inviting to children and their parents.

“Residents of Ingalls Park have been heartened by the recent news that the Joliet Park District plans to install new equipment on the local playground, Barr Park,” Leona Tichenor, the Pastor of Ingalls Park United Methodist Church, said in a letter to Patch.

“However, use of this mostly vacant park is inhibited by the occupancy of the Joliet Outlaws Motorcycle Club on the adjacent property,” Tichenor said.

“Formerly a neighborhood grocery store where children of past generations enjoyed buying penny candy and other treats, the building in front of the park now advertises its current use with the club insignia of a skull and pistons painted on the outside and the club motto ‘God forgives, Outlaws don’t,’” she said.

Tichenor suggested the park district purchase the East Washington Street clubhouse from the Outlaws and hoped the motorcycle club “would be amenable to moving to another location.”

“A second, though less satisfactory solution, would be for the Joliet Park District to work with Joliet Township to license the alley from Northwest Circle Drive leading to the park as a new entrance,” she said.

Glen Marcum, the president of the park district board, was doubtful about making a deal for the Outlaws’ clubhouse.

“We don’t have the referendum dollars to start buying” buildings next to playgrounds, he said, adding, “If the Outlaws want to donate it to us, maybe we could do something.”

No one answered the door at the Outlaws’ clubhouse Wednesday afternoon.

Marcum did say a new entrance to the park might be possible.

“We definitely can look at changing the entrance,” he said.

Not only will the Barr Park playground be outfitted with new equipment, Marcum said, but a rubberized surface is to be installed.

Tichenor questioned whether the project was worthwhile.

“It’s wonderful that they replaced the equipment there but what’s the point?” she said. “Who’s going to walk their child by that clubhouse to play in the park?”