Don Nash Community Center

1833 E. 71st Chicago IL 60649

Hours: Park: 6am - 11pm Fieldhouse: M-F 7am-9pm

Sa 9am - 5pm, Su Closed

Park Supervisor:
Rochelle Portee-White

(773) 256-0904

Description

Located in the South Shore community, Don Nash Community Center totals .88 acres and features a gymnasium, fitness center, indoor pool, and multi-purpose rooms. Outside, the park offers a playground. Many of these spaces are available for rental including our gymnasium and multi-purpose rooms.

Park-goers can participate in the Park Kids afterschool program, aquatics, Pilates, yoga, seasonal sports, senior activities, Line Dancing. During the summer, youth can participate in the Chicago Park District’s popular six-week day camp. Specialty camps are offered in the summer as well, and include Swim Camp.

In addition to programs, Don Nash Community Center hosts fun special events throughout the year for the entire family including holiday-themed events.

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SPRING PROGRAMS:
Register online or in-person for spring programs now. Spring programs run the week of April 1 through the week of June 3.

SUMMER PROGRAMS:

Online registration for our park’s summer programs begins Tuesday, April 16 at 9 am, and in-person registration begins Saturday, April 20. The standard 6-week summer camp program runs July 1 through August 9. Most other summer programs run the week of June 17 through the week of August 19.

FACILITIES

FACILITY TYPE	ADDRESS	QTY	NOTES
Fieldhouse	1833 E. 71st	1
Fitness Centers	1833 E. 71st	1	M-F, 7-8:45pm; Sa, 9-4:30pm; Su, Closed. ADA Accessible Equipment Sign up for a membership
Gymnasiums	1833 E. 71st	1
Meeting/Event Space	1833 E. 71st	2
Playgrounds	1833 E. 71st	1
Swimming Pools - Indoor	1833 E. 71st	1	Spring Post- Season Pool Schedule Accessibility feature: Lift

History

The Chicago Park District purchased the Don Nash Community Center, a former YMCA, in 1991. At the time, the surrounding South Shore community suffered from a severe shortage of recreational facilities. The area parks included neither gymnasiums nor swimming pools. The former YMCA offered both a central location in the community and approximately 35,000 square feet of space, nearly twice that of the average modern Chicago park fieldhouse. After purchasing the property, the park district extensively remodeled the building, which had been constructed by the YMCA in the 1940s. Using funds from the Government Assistance Project of the Chicago Community Trust, the park district also developed wide-ranging programming for the site. Today, Don Nash Community Center, with its gymnasium, swimming pool, kitchen, and club rooms, is popular gathering place for South Shore residents. Donald Jordan Nash (1935-1992), for whom the park is named, joined the Coca Cola Company in 1962 as a route helper, rising through the ranks to become the company's first African-American to serve as Vice President of Community and Governmental Affairs. A native Chicagoan, Nash demonstrated a great commitment to children in Chicago Park District programs, volunteering as a mentor and teacher in his spare time.