CHICAGO — A Chicago Park District after school program in Avondale is being relocated in order to help migrants arriving in the City.

The City of Chicago is converting the building found at Brands Park on North Elston Avenue into a temporary shelter for migrants, meanwhile, the park district is moving children enrolled in programming at the park to Horner Park on Montrose Avenue and Linne Elementary on Sacramento Avenue.

Parents who picked up their kids from after school programming at Brands Park Wednesday learned their children couldn’t come back.

“Honestly the kids were confused. My child was very upset,” said Courtney Roman. “I told my son to clean out his locker and bring everything home because we wouldn’t be returning. That was really inconsiderate.”

Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s Office provided a statement Wednesday on the City’s latest efforts to accommodate migrants arriving in Chicago:

“As a welcoming city, Chicago continues to receive new arrivals and tend to their immediate needs. We are in the midst of a national humanitarian crisis and have been collaborating with City departments, Alderpeople, community-based organizations, and community leaders to identify temporary respite sites, including Chicago Park District and other public facilities, where new arrivals can wait for shelter placement. This is part of the City’s efforts to prepare for an expected influx of new arrivals.”

City of Chicago – Office of the Mayor

The move comes a day after a non-profit organization said they were stifled by CPD orders when they offered to temporarily house migrants at their resource center down the street from CPD’s 3rd District police station, instead of letting them camp out in the station’s hallway entrance.

Thursday, Lightfoot’s administration is set to hold a community meeting in South Shore, where her office aims to brief neighbors on a plan to move asylum seekers to the old South Shore High School.

“It sounds like they’ve already made your mind up,” said Anthony Crawford, a South Shore resident. “But you haven’t talked to the people.”

South Shore High School has been vacant since 2014 and has previously served as a police training academy.

Much like in Lawndale where migrants were moved to Wadsworth Elementary, residents in South Shore said they weren’t happy with the short notice the City gave them, and the lack of input they’ve had in the situation.

“I just think it’s disrespectful to the community for the way this is being handled,” said Val Free, another South Shore resident.

According to Fraternal Order of Police President John Catanzara, there have been reports of bed bug, lice and chicken pox outbreaks at police stations temporarily housing migrants around the City.

“What is the plan? They can’t stay in the foyer of all these different police departments,” Crawford said. “There doesn’t seem to be a plan of how we move them from one area to another area.”