I just got back from a trip to Chicago and it was interesting to see what people thought. Most people really didn't care one way or the other. I have some friends who are Chicago cops and they were pissed that people were looking at them as part of the bad guys because they escorted the machines that ripped up the runway. From the sounds of it, the majority of Chicago's finest would like to see it reopened.
And as a Chicago native, the ideas of Meigs becoming a park are simply ridiculous. Chicago's lakefront has parks up the wazoo. It's a total pain in the you know what to park anywhere near Meigs. Ever try to park close to a Bear's game? It's MUCH more convenient to take the "L" or park downtown and walk to Grant Park (the one with the fountain from "Married With Children" ) if you want to go to a park downtown. Meigs as a park? Silly, silly, and more silly.
Meigs as a threat to homeland security? HA! Most of the aircraft that fly into Meigs are singles and light twins. Yes, it is close to downtown. But has anyone here ever flown into MDW? If you're departing 4R or 4L what is staight ahead? Yes indeed, that would be downtown Chicago and the world's tallest building, the Sears Tower. I know of one airline that flies 757's out of Midway, that's a little larger than a Cessna 172 or Piper Seneca. I went to the top of the Sear's Tower last weekend and we could see the planes on base for 22 at MDW and they were almost as close to us as we were to Meigs. Bascially, of someone was horrible enough to try something, they could depart from almost anywhere.
I don't know if it will reopen. I was fortunate enough to land there last year. I see it as one of "The" airports in the U.S. As pilot's, we're a small minority. Sadly, I'm not sure if the general public really cares.