Austin Town Hall Park

5610 W. Lake St. Chicago IL 60644

Hours: Park: 6am - 11pm, Fieldhouse: M-F 10am - 9pm

Sa 9am- 5pm, Su Closed

Park Supervisor:
Tebrena Howard

(773) 287-7658

Description

It is located in the Austin community, Austin Town Hall Park and Cultural Center totals [3.17] acres. It houses a field house and features an indoor swimming pool, 2 kitchens, a gymnasium, performance theater/auditorium and fitness Center. Majestic in design, the center was once the Town Hall of the Village of Cicero, Illinois. Outside the park offers a basketball court and children’s playground.

Many of these spaces are available for rental for theatre productions or community meetings.

Park-goers can play basketball at the facility. On the cultural side, Austin Town Hall Park is also a Cultural Center that offers a variety of dance, music and theatre classes. Afterschool programs are offered throughout the school year, and in the summer youth attend the Park District’s popular six-week day camp. Specialty camps are offered in the fall and spring as well, offering recreational opportunities during winter and spring break camps.

In addition to programs, Austin Town Hall Park hosts fun special events throughout the year for the whole family, such as gym showcases and Earth Day celebrations.

1/25/2012
Chicago Park District & Jazz Institute of Chicago Celebrate 15th Anniversary of JazzCity
The Chicago Park District and the Jazz Institute of Chicago proudly announce the 15th anniversary season for JazzCity, an admission-free concert series... Read more

1/23/2012
Celebrate Black History Month in February 2012
The Chicago Park District commemorates Black History Month in February 2012 with various interdisciplinary events. Most programs are admission free or... Read more

12/8/2011
Break a Sweat, Not the Bank During One Week of Free Admission to Citywide Fitness Centers
Read more

10/3/2011
Celebrate Halloween at Chicago Parks
Read more

View All

AUG

Toddlers, Tunes, and Turtles/ Austin Town Hall Park

Event's details

August 23, 2012

Time:05:30 PM - 07:00 PM
Location: Austin Town Hall Park, Chicago, IL -IL

This free outdoor nature program provides families the opportunity to meet live animals, sing along to family friendly music, and little ones experience the very important nature free play.

(05:30 PM - 07:00 PM)

View All

Spring programs begin the week of April 2 and run through the week of June 1. In-person registration at the park continues until all spots are full.

Summer program registration begins Monday, April 9 at 9am online, and Saturday, April 14 at the park. An account must be created before registering either online or in-person through the new system. Create your account now. Our traditional 6-week day camp runs Monday, June 25 through Friday, August 3. Most other summer programs run the week of June 18 through the week of August 26.

FACILITIES

FACILITY TYPE	ADDRESS	QTY	NOTES
Basketball Courts - Outdoor	5610 W. Lake St.	2
Fieldhouses	5610 W. Lake St.	1
Fitness Centers	5610 W. Lake St.	1	ADA Accessible Equipment
Gymnasiums	5610 W. Lake St.	1
Meeting/Event Space	5610 W. Lake St.	12
Playgrounds	5610 W. Lake St.	1
Swimming Pools - Indoor	5610 W. Lake St.	1	Spring Schedule

History

In 1865, businessman and real estate speculator Henry W. Austin created a lovely 280-acre subdivision in Cicero Township. Austin's development included wide, tree-lined streets and a small park, originally known as Holden Park. The township selected Austin as its seat of government, and in 1870 constructed a brick town hall building, with a cupola and eclectic details, in the center of Holden Park. In 1898, Austinites, having a majority on Cicero's town council, used political influence to allow the extension of the Lake Street elevated line into their community. This infuriated residents of other areas within Cicero Township, such as Oak Park and Berwyn, who retaliated the following year by holding a joint election to force Austin's annexation to the City of Chicago. Much to the dismay of local residents, this effort succeeded and Austin became part of Chicago in 1899. The city took over the Cicero Town Hall and began using it as a library and police station as well as for other public functions. The city transferred Holden Park to the West Park Commission in 1927. Because the old town hall had housed a branch library for several years, the West Park Commissioners agreed to the construction of a new public library in the park, designed by architect Alfred S. Alschuler. At the same time, the West Park Commission also built a fieldhouse for the newly renamed Austin Town Hall Park. The large brick Georgian Revival-style building was influenced by Philadelphia's Independence Hall. The structure was designed by architects Michaelsen and Rognstad, who were also responsible for other notable buildings including the Garfield Park Gold Dome Building, the Humboldt and Douglas Park Fieldhouses, and the On Leong Chinese Merchant's Association Building in Chinatown. In 1934, Austin Town Hall Park became part of the Chicago Park District, when the city's 22 independent park commissions merged into a single citywide agency.