Foster Park
Foster Park
A great day at our Chicago Plays! playground
A great day at our Chicago Plays! playground
Foster Park Fieldhouse
Foster Park Fieldhouse
A great day at our Chicago Plays! playground
A great day at our Chicago Plays! playground
Spending time with friends!
Spending time with friends!
Location:

1440 W. 84th St.
Chicago, IL 60620

Supervisor: Marvin Tolbert
Phone Numbers: Main (312) 747-6135

 

Hours

Park Hours
Day Time slot Comment
Sunday: 7:00 am-11:00 pm
Monday: 7:00 am-11:00 pm
Tuesday: 7:00 am-11:00 pm
Wednesday: 7:00 am-11:00 pm
Thursday: 7:00 am-11:00 pm
Friday: 7:00 am-11:00 pm
Saturday: 7:00 am-11:00 pm
Fieldhouse Hours
Day Time slot Comment
Sunday Closed
Monday 9:00 am-7:00 pm
Tuesday 9:00 am-7:00 pm
Wednesday 9:00 am-7:00 pm
Thursday 9:00 am-7:00 pm
Friday 9:00 am-7:00 pm
Saturday 9:00 am-5:00 pm

Description

Located in the Auburn Gresham community, Foster Park totals 25.15 acres and features a fitness center, swimming pool, two gymnasiums, a youth wellness center, woodshop, and multi-purpose rooms. Outside, the park offers a soft surface playground, interactive water park, tennis courts, basketball courts, walking/running track, baseball diamonds, and softball diamonds. Many of these spaces are available for rental including our multi-purpose rooms and fields.

Park-goers can participate in the Park Kids after school program, seasonal sports, sewing, walking club and woodcraft.  During the summer, youth can participate in the Chicago Park District’s popular six-week day camp. 

In addition to programs, Foster Park hosts fun special events throughout the year for the entire family, such as holiday themed events.

History

Foster Park honors J. Frank Foster (1852-1926), long-time South Park System superintendent and a leader in park management throughout the United States. Having begun as engineer in the 1870s, Foster became superintendent in 1891 when the South Park Commission was preparing for the World's Columbian Exposition to open in Jackson Park two years later. Besides assisting with the fair and transforming its site back into parkland, Foster is credited with developing the nation's first neighborhood parks.

Conceived as lovely green "breathing spaces" to provide recreation and social services in the city's most congested tenement districts, the first ten new south side parks opened in 1905. The revolutionary parks included the nation's first fieldhouses and offered public bathing; the city's earliest branch libraries; English lessons and other classes; inexpensive hot meals; health care; and a variety of recreational programs. Foster's concept was so successful that President Theodore Roosevelt declared it "the most important civic achievement in any American city." Shortly after Foster's death in 1926, the South Park Commission decided to name one of its newest projects in his honor. Located in the growing Auburn Gresham community, the site was envisioned as an impressive 30-acre park with many of the features originated by Foster.  Alleys and streets were vacated in 1890 for the park.  Unfortunately, the commissioners had to make 50 separate land purchases between 1921-1932, and the park developed very slowly. By the early 1930s, Foster Park consisted only of an athletic field, tennis courts, and a comfort station. In 1934, the Great Depression necessitated the consolidation of the city's 22 individual park commissions. The newly-formed Chicago Park District acquired the park as part of its portfolio and improved Foster Park's landscape and constructed a small recreation building there. Over the years, demands for additional indoor facilities continued. In 1950, the Park District constructed an attractive Art Moderne-style fieldhouse, which was designed by the prominent Chicago architectural firm Shaw, Metz & Dolio.

Advisory Council

Contact: Junida Nicholas,   President
Phone: (773) 874-1562
Meeting Details:

2nd Tuesday of the Month 11:15am

Parking/Directions

For directions using public transportation visit www.transitchicago.com.

Map & Facilities

Foster Baseball/Softball Fields

1440 W. 84th St.
Chicago, IL 60620
United States

Foster Basketball Court

1440 W. 84th St.
Chicago, IL 60620
United States

Foster Fieldhouse

1440 W 84th St
Chicago, IL 60620
United States

Foster Fitness Center

1440 W. 84th St.
Chicago, IL 60620
United States

Foster Gymnasium

1440 W. 84th St.
Chicago, IL 60620
United States

Foster Meeting/Event Space

1440 W. 84th St.
Chicago, IL 60620
United States

Foster Playground

1440 W. 84th St.
Chicago, IL 60620
United States

Foster Pool

1440 W. 84th St.
Chicago, IL 60620
United States

:
(312)747-7612

Foster Tennis Courts

1440 W. 84th St.
Chicago, IL 60620
United States

Foster Woodshop

1440 W. 84th St.
Chicago, IL 60620
United States

Foster (J. Frank) Water Playground

1440 W. 84th Street
Chicago, IL 60620
United States

:
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Foster (J. Frank) Water Playground

1440 W. 84th Street
Chicago, IL 60620
United States

:
Show on Map
default image
Foster Baseball/Softball Fields

1440 W. 84th St.
Chicago, IL 60620
United States

Show on Map
default image
Foster Basketball Court

1440 W. 84th St.
Chicago, IL 60620
United States

Show on Map
default image
Foster Fieldhouse

1440 W 84th St
Chicago, IL 60620
United States

Show on Map
Foster Park Fitness Center
Foster Fitness Center

1440 W. 84th St.
Chicago, IL 60620
United States

Show on Map
default image
Foster Gymnasium

1440 W. 84th St.
Chicago, IL 60620
United States

Show on Map
default image
Foster Meeting/Event Space

1440 W. 84th St.
Chicago, IL 60620
United States

Show on Map
default image
Foster Playground

1440 W. 84th St.
Chicago, IL 60620
United States

Show on Map
Foster Park Pool
Foster Pool

1440 W. 84th St.
Chicago, IL 60620
United States

:
(312)747-7612
Show on Map
default image
Foster Tennis Courts

1440 W. 84th St.
Chicago, IL 60620
United States

Show on Map
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Foster Woodshop

1440 W. 84th St.
Chicago, IL 60620
United States

Show on Map