Nichols Park
Nichols Park
Location:

1355 E. 53rd St.
Chicago, IL 60615

Supervisor: Cynthia Lewis
Phone Numbers: Main (312) 747-2703

 

Hours

Park Hours
Day Time slot Comment
Sunday: 6:00 am-9:00 pm
Monday: 6:00 am-9:00 pm
Tuesday: 6:00 am-9:00 pm
Wednesday: 6:00 am-9:00 pm
Thursday: 6:00 am-9:00 pm
Friday: 6:00 am-9:00 pm
Saturday: 6:00 am-9:00 pm
Fieldhouse Hours
Day Time slot Comment
Sunday Closed
Monday 10:30 am-7:30 pm
Tuesday 9:30 am-8:30 pm
Wednesday 8:30 am-8:00 pm
Thursday 9:30 am-7:30 pm
Friday 8:30 am-8:00 pm
Saturday Closed

Description

Located at 1355 E. 53rd St. in the Hyde Park community, Nichols Park totals 11.48 acres and features a gymnasium and a multi-purpose room. Green features of the park include a community flower garden, community vegetable gardens, and Wildflower Meadow. Outside, the park offers two playgrounds, a baseball diamond, walking path, and a sandbox. Many of these spaces are available for rental including our gymnasium and multi-purpose room.

Park-goers can participate in the Park Kids after school program, seasonal sports, preschool activities, bitty basketball, and low impact aerobics. During the summer, youth can participate in the Park District’s popular six-week day camp. Specialty camps are offered in the summer as well, and include Sports Camp.

 

History

The Chicago Park District acquired this park property in 1964. The Chicago Park District acquired more than six acres of land in the deteriorating Hyde Park neighborhood from the City's Department of Urban Renewal. The Park District soon improved the site with a reflecting pool, tennis courts, walkways, and asphalt-surfaced play areas for tots and older children. In 1970, Italian-American artist Cosmo Campoli created a fanciful bronze sculpture called "Bird of Peace" which enlivens the park's central lawn. Though the Park District expanded the park a bit during the following decade, several acres of cleared land immediately to the south remained undeveloped for years. In the mid-1980s, the Hyde Park Development Corporation recommended that the vacant property be used for stores and upscale townhouses. Many neighborhood residents instead favored expanding Nichols Park. After lobbying for the project for several years, the community convinced the City Council to approve the expansion. The Park District expanded the park in the 1990s bringing Nichols Park to more than ten acres, and the new park land soon had a formal garden, a fountain, and a grassy courtyard. In 2004, the Park District did an even land exchange with Chicago Public Schools.

The park honors artist and urban planner John Fountain Nichols (1912-1980), a life-long resident of Hyde Park. A student of the Art Institute of Chicago, Nichols participated in the Federal Artists' Project during the Great Depression. (One of his many murals can be found at the north side Lane Technical High School.) After returning to his studies and earning a BFA during World War II, he taught art in south side public schools, later becoming an architectural draftsman. During the 1950s and 1960s, Nichols worked for the Department of Urban Renewal, developing plans to rehabilitate his Hyde Park neighborhood. After his retirement in the 1970s, Nichols continued to participate in arts-related events at Murray School, which sits adjacent to the park.

Advisory Council

Contact: Van Bristow,   President
Meeting Details:

2nd Thursday of the month at 7:00 p.m.

Parking/Directions

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

Map & Facilities

Nichols Bird of Peace | Artwork

1355 E. 53rd St.
Chicago, IL 60615
United States

Heron | Artwork

1355 E. 53rd St.
Chicago, IL 60615
United States

Nichols Clubrooms

1355 E. 53rd st
Chicago, IL 60615
United States

Nichols Fieldhouse

1355 E. 53rd St.
Chicago, IL 60615
United States

Nichols Gymnasium

1355 E. 53rd st
Chicago, IL 60615
United States

Nichols Park Chinese Garden

1300 E. 55th St.
Chicago, IL 60615
United States

Nichols Playground - E

5414 S. Kenwood Ave.
Chicago, IL 60615
United States

Nichols Playground - W

5483 S. Kimbark Ave.
Chicago, IL 60615
United States

Nichols North Fountain

1355 E. 53rd St.
Chicago, IL 60615
United States

Nichols Ol’ Blue | Artwork

1355 E. 53rd St.
Chicago, IL 60615
United States

Nichols South Fountain

1355 E. 53rd St.
Chicago, IL 60615
United States

Wolf | Artwork

1355 E. 53rd St.
Chicago, IL 60615
United States

Nichols Park Natural Area

1342 E 54th St
Chicago, IL 60615
United States

:

Nichols Park Ornamental Community Garden

1355 E 53rd St
Chicago, IL 60615
United States

:
South Fountain
Nichols South Fountain

1355 E. 53rd St.
Chicago, IL 60615
United States

Show on Map
Bird of Peace
Nichols Bird of Peace | Artwork

1355 E. 53rd St.
Chicago, IL 60615
United States

Show on Map
Wolf carving.
Wolf | Artwork

1355 E. 53rd St.
Chicago, IL 60615
United States

Show on Map
default image
Heron | Artwork

1355 E. 53rd St.
Chicago, IL 60615
United States

Show on Map
Nichols Natural Area
Nichols Park Natural Area

1342 E 54th St
Chicago, IL 60615
United States

:
Show on Map
default image
Nichols Clubrooms

1355 E. 53rd st
Chicago, IL 60615
United States

Show on Map
Nichols Park Ornamental Community Garden

1355 E 53rd St
Chicago, IL 60615
United States

:
Show on Map
default image
Nichols Fieldhouse

1355 E. 53rd St.
Chicago, IL 60615
United States

Show on Map
default image
Nichols Gymnasium

1355 E. 53rd st
Chicago, IL 60615
United States

Show on Map
Nichols Park Chinese Garden

1300 E. 55th St.
Chicago, IL 60615
United States

Show on Map
default image
Nichols Playground - E

5414 S. Kenwood Ave.
Chicago, IL 60615
United States

Show on Map
default image
Nichols Playground - W

5483 S. Kimbark Ave.
Chicago, IL 60615
United States

Show on Map
North Fountain
Nichols North Fountain

1355 E. 53rd St.
Chicago, IL 60615
United States

Show on Map
Ol’ Blue
Nichols Ol’ Blue | Artwork

1355 E. 53rd St.
Chicago, IL 60615
United States

Show on Map