华盛顿——前总统巴拉克·奥巴马的总统中心将在下周向其实体未来又迈进一步，届时经过多年的审查、其他延误和当地持续的反对，地面将破土动工。
奥巴马和他的妻子米歇尔将于周二在芝加哥与伊利诺伊州州长普利兹克和芝加哥市长洛里·莱特福特一起参加奥巴马总统中心的奠基仪式。
这位前总统坐在妻子身边，在首先与美联社分享的一段视频公告中说:“米歇尔和我非常兴奋能在我们热爱的社区的奥巴马总统中心破土动工。
这位前总统在2016年选择了芝加哥南部一个历史悠久的湖边公园的一个地点来建造他的总统图书馆，在这里他开始了他的政治生涯，遇见并娶了他的妻子，并与他们的家人住在一起。这位前第一夫人在芝加哥南区长大。
但是，由于与公园保护主义者的法律斗争和社区活动人士的抗议，规划过程遇到了许多障碍，他们担心计划中的5亿美元的中心会取代黑人居民。
芝加哥市议会已经批准了邻里保护，最近完成了一项为期四年的联邦审查程序，该程序是必要的，因为它位于杰克逊公园——该公园被列入国家历史遗迹名录。
官员们在2月份宣布，建设将于今年开始，首先是公用事业线路的搬迁，然后是实际建设。
这位前第一夫人在视频中说:“这个项目提醒了我们，为什么南区和住在这里的人如此特别。”她补充说，这一努力为她和她的丈夫重申了芝加哥南区的未来“和任何地方一样光明。”
巴拉克·奥巴马将该中心描述为青年节目和公共集会的中心，将通过带来关注、就业和游客，推动该市南区的经济，该区部分地区已经陷入贫困。基金会官员估计，该中心将在建设期间和之后帮助创造大约5000个就业机会。
资金将通过私人捐赠筹集。
该建筑群将占地540英亩的杰克逊公园的19英亩，包括博物馆、公共图书馆分馆、体育中心、儿童游乐区和测试厨房。奥巴马的总统文件将以数字形式提供。
市政府官员称，奥巴马基金会还将向该地区的一个公共田径设施捐赠多达350万美元。
Groundbreaking for Obama presidential center set for Tuesday
WASHINGTON -- Former President Barack Obama's presidential center will move another step closer to its brick-and-mortar future next week when ground is broken after years of reviews, other delays and continued local opposition.
Obama and his wife, Michelle, will join Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot in Chicago on Tuesday for a groundbreaking ceremony for the Obama Presidential Center.
“Michelle and I could not be more excited to break ground on the Obama Presidential Center in the community that we love,” the former president says, seated beside his wife, in a video announcement shared first with The Associated Press.
The former president in 2016 chose a site in a historic lakefront park on the South Side of Chicago to build his presidential library, near where he began his political career, met and married his wife and lived with their family. The former first lady grew up on Chicago's South Side.
But the planning process hit numerous snags due to a legal battle with park preservationists and protests from neighborhood activists who feared the planned $500 million center would displace Black residents.
Chicago’s City Council has since approved neighborhood protections, and a four-year federal review process that was needed because of its location in Jackson Park — which is on the National Register of Historic Places — was recently completed.
Officials announced in February that construction would begin this year, starting with the relocation of utility lines followed by actual construction.
“This project has reminded us why the South Side and the people who live here are so special,” the former first lady said in the video, adding that the effort has reaffirmed for her and her husband that the future on the South Side of Chicago “is as bright as it is anywhere.”
Barack Obama has described the center as a hub for youth programming and public gatherings that will jumpstart the economy on the city’s South Side, parts of which are impoverished, by bringing attention, jobs and visitors. Foundation officials estimate the center will help create about 5,000 jobs, both during and after construction.
Funding will be raised through private donations.
The complex will sit on 19 acres of the 540-acre Jackson Park and include a museum, public library branch, athletic center, children’s play area and a test kitchen. Obama’s presidential papers will be available in digital form.
The Obama Foundation will also donate up to $3.5 million toward a public track and field facility in the area, city officials have said.
