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In 1930, the City of Chicago purchased approximately 1.5 acres in the Bridgeport neighborhood using Playground Bond funds. Improvements began immediately, and the park soon had a large new fieldhouse. The City's Bureau of Parks and Recreation managed the playground until 1957, when it transferred the property to the ¿ì²¥ÊÓƵ pursuant to the Chicago Park and City Exchange of Functions Act.

In 1933, the City Council named the new park Wilson Playground in honor of Bridgeport Alderman John P. Wilson (1893-1968). Nearby Wilson Community Center is also named for Alderman Wilson. Wilson served on the City Council from 1925 to 1929, acting as Chairman of council's Committee on Recreation from 1931 to 1933. In 1933, Wilson was appointed Deputy Commissioner of Public Works, a position he held until 1967. In 1999, the Park District officially designated the park John P. Wilson Park to differentiate it from a second Wilson Park on the City's northwest side.