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Honors former Commissioners Telli and Walker for their service to the Board, acknowledges the outstanding efforts of park staff to support new arrivals 

Today, the �첥��Ƶ Board of Commissioners authorized the District to accept parcels of land from the City to make way for the expansion of Kells Park, 3201 W. Chicago Avenue, in the Humboldt Park community, and from Chicago Public Schools for the expansion of Jackie Robinson Park, 10501 S. Morgan, in the Washington Heights community. The transfers will allow the District to construct new park fieldhouses at each park to replace the existing deteriorated structure and support the community’s growing need for recreational resources and services. 

Acquisition of the 0.36-acre property at 714-726 North Kedzie Avenue will supplement the 0.19-acre parcel of land located just south of Kells Park acquired by the District last year. The collective .55-acre land expansion will create space for a new fieldhouse and playground.  

With the acquisition of 1.2 acres of land at 10541 S. Aberdeen, the District will construct a new, 18,000 square foot fieldhouse that includes a full-sized gymnasium, two multipurpose clubrooms, fitness center, teen room, pantry, restrooms, offices, lobby, and storage space. Upon completion, a total of 13.47 acres of open space will be provided by Jackie Robinson Park in the Washington Heights community.

“We are so excited to move forward with these two major park investments at Jackie Robinson and Kells Parks and thank our partners, the City of Chicago, for their collaboration and commitment to uplifting our communities,” said Park District General Superintendent and CEO Rosa Escareño. “These land expansions will expand our park footprint at locations where the need is great, and will directly impact the amenities and services we have the capacity to provide in each community.” 

Also at today’s meeting, the Board approved the District request to initiate the 45-day public notice period to rename Park No. 599, the West Edgewater Green Park. The new 1.08-acre park is located on the former Edgewater Hospital site. The proposed park name is supported by the Edgewater community. Construction is nearly complete on the passive park, which will feature landscaping, a walking path, a drinking fountain, benches and seating areas surrounding an open lawn. The park is scheduled to open in Summer 2024. The District will gather community input on the proposed name during the 45-day public input period before returning to the Board for the official renaming. Patrons can provide input here. 

With the Board’s approval, the District enters into an intergovernmental agreement with the Chicago Board of Education for the purpose of sharing investigation information related to serious allegations of misconduct in the event an individual who worked at one agency seeks subsequent employment at another. Due to the similar nature of the populations served by the District and the Board, it is not uncommon for individuals to seek employment with both agencies. This measure increases the level of oversight and effectiveness of the �첥��Ƶ’s Office of Prevention and Accountability (OPA) and safeguards the health and well-being of patrons and employees including minors. The first office of its kind at the District, OPA will be empowered to prevent misconduct and hold wrongdoers accountable through fair, independent and thorough investigations into allegations of misconduct by park employees and patrons. 

The Board and District honored former Commissioners Andrea Telli and Shariff Walker for their years of service to the Board. Both Telli and Walker joined the Board in 2022 and served until April 2024. A resolution was read acknowledging their contributions to the Board, parks and communities across the city. 

The Board and District acknowledged the efforts of park staff to support and provide services to new arrivals. Since August 2022, Chicago has welcomed approximately 42,000 new arrivals to our city with immediate needs for basic necessities and other vital services. The District, along with other sister agencies, assisted in providing services. During that time, the District contributed five park locations to use as temporary migrant shelters, offered restroom and shower facilities at other locations and hosted several mobile town halls where new arrivals could access city services. District staff mobilized expeditiously to provide these emergency services while coordinating the relocation of park services, where necessary to accommodate Chicago families who rely on parks for programs like after-school activities and summer camp. The work to coordinate and the compassion shown to new arrivals and Chicago families demonstrates park employee’s excellence and dedication to service. 

The Board approved the provisional approval for Grito Fest scheduled to take place on park property later this year. The Board did not vote on the provisional approval for Riot Fest.  The Park District’s Special Events Permit Application requires a robust community engagement process to ensure diverse voices are being considered before a permit is approved. This year, the District reinforced its commitment to community by announcing the creation of a new initiative to reinvest a portion of event revenue funds directly back to the parks that host special events with 3,000 or more attendees. Parks hosting multi-day events with 3,000 or more guests, will receive a direct re-investment of 10 percent of the permit fees collected from event organizers in addition to any park restoration fees. A key part of the initiative are the engagement opportunities that residents will be invited to attend to provide feedback on the potential capital improvement projects. The amount will be capped at $100,000 per event. Community residents are encouraged to provide suggestions for capital improvements using the form on our website located at .