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Home Parks & Facilities Independence Park

Welcome to Independence Park!

Take a swim at Independence Park.

Athletes at Special Olympics Opening Ceremony at Soldier Field

Fitness Center at Independence Park - check it out!

Independence Park

3945 N. Springfield Ave. Chicago IL 60618

Hours: Park: 6am - 11pm

Fieldhouse; M-F 7am - 9pm Sa 9am-5pm Su Noon - 5pm

Park Supervisor:
Eileen Sweeney

(773) 478-3538

Description

Located on Irving Park Road just east of Pulaski, Independence Park is surrounded by a nice quiet neighborhood in Old Irving Park.

The park has a number of features including a playground, tennis courts, baseball diamonds, a water spray area for kids to play in, and lots of great trees. Plus, a field house with an indoor pool, a big party room, locker rooms, fitness center and a small gymnasium.

At the park field house, youth enjoy sports and tumbling programs as well as cultural opportunities. For the little ones we have our popular Moms, Pops and Tots program and Tiny Tot tumbling, among others.Enjoy the pool for open swim time or join a class.

Independence Park also provides activities for developmentally disabled adults and children through its therapeutic recreation programs.

On the grounds at Independence Park is the “Women’s Community Club Building.” Today, the recently renovated Bungalow is using green technology. The Bungalow Renovation Project incorporates green building initiatives and is utilized as a national model showing its use of cutting-edge green technology.

The Independence Park Bungalow was constructed in the early 1920s as a single family residence. In 1930 the Bungalow was converted into the “Women’s Community Club Building of the Irving Park District.” The Chicago Park District purchased and incorporated the Bungalow in 1936 into Independence Park.

3/6/2013
Get Swimsuit Ready for Spring Break with Two Weeks of Free Fitness Classes March 18-30
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JUN

Night Out: Movies in the Parks at Independence

Event's details

June 21, 2013

Time:08:30 PM - 10:06 PM
Location: Independence Park, Chicago, IL -

(08:30 PM - 10:06 PM)

JUL

Night Out: Family Movie Night at Independence

Event's details

July 03, 2013

Time:08:30 PM - 10:00 PM
Location: Independence Park, Chicago, IL -

(08:30 PM - 10:00 PM)

AUG

Night Out: Family Movie Night at Independence

Event's details

August 09, 2013

Time:08:30 PM - 10:00 PM
Location: Independence Park, Chicago, IL -

(08:30 PM - 10:00 PM)

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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 Monday, April 15 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
Baseball Field	3945 N. Springfield Ave.	3
Fieldhouse	3945 N. Springfield Ave.	1
Fieldhouse	3945 N. Springfield Ave.	1
Fitness Centers	3945 N. Springfield Ave.	1	M-F 7am-8pm; Sa 9am-4:30pm; Su 12-4:30pm;ADA accessible equipment; Sign up for a membership
Gymnasiums	3945 N. Springfield Ave.	1	Closed for renovation.
Meeting/Event Space	3945 N. Springfield Ave.	3	Clubrooms & Auditorium
Playgrounds	3945 N. Springfield Ave.	1
Swimming Pools - Indoor	3945 N. Springfield Ave.	1	Spring Post-Season Pool Schedule Accessibility features: ADA Stairs & Lift
Tennis Courts	3945 N. Springfield Ave.	4
Water Spray Features	3945 N. Springfield Ave.	1

History

In 1907, Irving Park area residents petitioned Mayor Fred Busse for the creation of parks in their neighborhood. Mayor Busse referred the request to the city's Special Park Commission, which inspected potential park properties, including the longtime site of the neighborhood's annual Independence Day celebration. With the city's most congested districts as their focus, the commissioners could not justify creating a park in this spacious, middle-class neighborhood. State enabling legislation offered an alternative. By popular vote in 1910, community members established the Irving Park District.

The new park district soon began acquiring the previously-identified site. Though acquisition took several years, improvements began and the neighborhood continued holding its annual 4th of July festivities there. Recognizing the importance of this community celebration, the site was named Independence Park. In 1914, the park district constructed an attractive brick fieldhouse designed by Hatzfeld and Knox. Several years later, Independence Park was enlarged to Byron Street. The new property included a single-family brick home which was converted for use by the Women's Community Club. In response to requests from the public, the park district created a beautiful sunken garden with fanciful rockwork, trimmed hedges, and elaborate plantings. Colored lights illuminated the garden at night. By 1930, in addition to the garden, Independence Park included horseshoe and tennis courts, two 18-hole putting greens, playgrounds, and a wading pool.

In 1934, all of the city's 22 independent park agencies were consolidated into the Chicago Park District. As part of a federal Works Progress Administration arts initiative, artist M.R. Decker created a patriotically-themed painting for Independence Park's fieldhouse auditorium. In 1950, the park district replaced the sunken garden with ball fields.