Welcome to Ping Tom Park!
Photo: Becca Heuer, Forward Design
State-of-the-art Leonard Louie fieldhouse
State-of-the-art Leonard Louie fieldhouse
Amazing views from the fieldhouse rooftop
Amazing views from the fieldhouse rooftop
Learning to swim in the Ping Tom pool
Learning to swim in the Ping Tom pool
Beautiful views by the boathouse
Beautiful views by the boathouse
The dragon boat race at Ping Tom
The dragon boat race at Ping Tom
A dragon boat at Ping Tom
A dragon boat at Ping Tom
Beautiful natural areas at Ping Tom
Beautiful natural areas at Ping Tom
Bust honoring Leonard Louie
Bust honoring Leonard Louie
Bust honoring Ping Tom by the pagoda
Bust honoring Ping Tom by the pagoda
Location:

1700 S. Wentworth Ave.
Chicago, IL 60616

Supervisor: Brandon Cotton
Phone Numbers: Main (312) 225-3121

 

Hours

Park Hours
Day Time slot Comment
Sunday: 6:00 am-10:00 pm
Monday: 6:00 am-10:00 pm
Tuesday: 6:00 am-10:00 pm
Wednesday: 6:00 am-10:00 pm
Thursday: 6:00 am-10:00 pm
Friday: 6:00 am-10:00 pm
Saturday: 6:00 am-10:00 pm
Fieldhouse Hours
Day Time slot Comment
Sunday Closed
Monday 9:00 am-9:00 pm
Tuesday 9:00 am-9:00 pm
Wednesday 9:00 am-9:00 pm
Thursday 9:00 am-9:00 pm
Friday 9:00 am-9:00 pm
Saturday 9:00 am-5:00 pm

Description

Ping Tom Memorial Park's 17.44-acre site was originally a Chicago and Western Indiana Railroad yard located along the edge of the South Branch of the Chicago River in the Armour Square Community. In 1998, the Chicago Park District began transforming the old railyard into a beautiful rolling green space, taking full advantage of the impressive river views. Today, Ping Tom Memorial Park holds a children's playground, community gathering areas and Chinese landscape design elements.

The park's fieldhouse, named in honor of the late Advisory Council President Leonard Louie, was completed in October 2013. The facility offers a multi-purpose gymnasium, a 9 feet-deep, zero-depth entry indoor swimming pool, two meeting rooms, a state-of-the-art fitness center, men's, women and family locker rooms, a second story outdoor patio with skyline views, a green rooftop, and a full service kitchen. 

Outside, the park offers an athletic field, walking paths by the river, and a boat house, which is open for kayak rentals during the summer season. The boathouse includes a public dock that is available for use by non-motorized boats during park hours. Restrooms are also available to the public when the boathouse vendor is operating. Outside facilities also include a children's playground and a pagoda-style pavilion. 

Patrons enjoy visiting Ping Tom for fitness classes, indoor swimming and seasonal sports. The park is a popular destination for special events and many of its spaces are available for rental. Park goers also come to Ping Tom Park to enjoy Night Out in the Parks special events such as concerts and dance performances on the lawn, and much more. 

 

History

The Chicago Park District acquired the site for Ping Tom Memorial Park in 1991. For years, its surrounding Chinatown community had suffered a total lack of open space and recreational facilities. The only nearby parks, Hardin Square and Stanford Park, had been demolished 30 years earlier to make way for the Dan Ryan Expressway. Two full generations of children in Chinatown grew up without access to a neighborhood park or any recreational area.

Ping Tom Memorial Park's 12-acre site was originally a Chicago and Western Indiana Railroad yard located along the edge of the South Branch of the Chicago River. In 1998, the Chicago Park District began transforming the old rail-yard into a beautiful rolling green space, taking full advantage of impressive river views. The park has a children's playground, community gathering areas, and Chinese landscape design elements.  In 2002, the Chicago Park District acquired 5 plus additional acres on the northeast side of the park, bringing the total acreage of the park to over 17 acres adjacent to the Chicago River. The Chicago Park District is reclaiming the Chicago River as a major system of parks and water-based recreation for all Chicagoans with the creation of four new boathouses and river launches. The first two boathouses opened in 2013 (Ping Tom and Clark Park). The third location at River Park was completed in 2014. The fourth Boathouse is at Park 571 (2828 S. Eleanor). 

The park was named in honor of the leading force behind its creation, Chinatown's most noted civic leader, Ping Tom (1935-1995). A lifelong resident of Chinatown, Ping Tom formed the Chinese American Development Corporation in 1984. The private real estate firm transformed a 32-acre rail yard site into Chinatown Square, a $100 million dollar residential and commercial expansion of Chinatown.

Active in numerous prominent civic and cultural institutions, Ping Tom was also an advisor to U.S. senators, Illinois governors, and Chicago mayors.

Advisory Council

Contact: Debbie Liu,   President
Meeting Details:

First Wednesday on even months at 6:30 p.m. Please contact the Ping Tom PAC for details.

Parking/Directions

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

Map & Facilities

Ping Tom Paths & Trails

1906 South Tom Parkway
Chicago, IL 60616
United States

:

Leonard M. Louie Fieldhouse

1700 S. Wentworth Ave.
Chicago, IL 60616
United States

Ping Tom Boathouse

300 W. 19th Street
Chicago, IL 60616
United States

Ping Tom Clubrooms

1700 S. Wentworth Ave.
Chicago, IL 60616
United States

Ping Tom Baseball Field

1700 S. Wentworth Avenue
Chicago, IL 60616
United States

Ping Tom Fitness Center

1700 S. Wentworth Ave.
Chicago, IL 60616
United States

Ping Tom Gymnasium

1700 S. Wentworth Ave.
Chicago, IL 60616
United States

Ping Tom Playground

1700 S. Wentworth Avenue
Chicago, IL 60616
United States

Ping Tom Park Pool

1700 S. Wentworth Ave.
Chicago, IL 60616
United States

:
(312) 225-0955

Ping Tom Portrait Bust

300 W. 19th Street
Chicago, IL 60616
United States

Return of the Yellow Cranes | Artwork

1700 S. Wentworth Avenue
Chicago, IL 60616
United States

Stone Talk | Artwork

1700 S. Wentworth Avenue
Chicago, IL 60616
United States

Ping Tom Natural Area

300 W 18th St.
Chicago, IL 60616
United States

:

Ping Tom Boat Launch

200-322 West 18th Street
Chicago, IL 60616
United States

:

Ping Tom Pagoda

239 West 18th Street
Chicago, IL 60616
United States

:
Stone Talk
Stone Talk | Artwork

1700 S. Wentworth Avenue
Chicago, IL 60616
United States

Show on Map
Leonard M. Louie Fieldhouse

1700 S. Wentworth Ave.
Chicago, IL 60616
United States

Show on Map
Ping Tom Natural Area
Ping Tom Natural Area

300 W 18th St.
Chicago, IL 60616
United States

:
Show on Map
Ping Tom Boathouse

300 W. 19th Street
Chicago, IL 60616
United States

Show on Map
Ping Tom Boat Launch

200-322 West 18th Street
Chicago, IL 60616
United States

:
Show on Map
Ping Tom Clubrooms

1700 S. Wentworth Ave.
Chicago, IL 60616
United States

Show on Map
Ping Tom Pagoda
Ping Tom Pagoda

239 West 18th Street
Chicago, IL 60616
United States

:
Show on Map
Ping Tom Baseball Fields
Ping Tom Baseball Field

1700 S. Wentworth Avenue
Chicago, IL 60616
United States

Show on Map
Ping Tom Paths & Trails

1906 South Tom Parkway
Chicago, IL 60616
United States

:
Show on Map
Ping Tom Fitness Center
Ping Tom Fitness Center

1700 S. Wentworth Ave.
Chicago, IL 60616
United States

Show on Map
Ping Tom Gymnasium

1700 S. Wentworth Ave.
Chicago, IL 60616
United States

Show on Map
Ping Tom Playground

1700 S. Wentworth Avenue
Chicago, IL 60616
United States

Show on Map
Ping Tom Park Pool

1700 S. Wentworth Ave.
Chicago, IL 60616
United States

:
(312) 225-0955
Show on Map
Ping Tom Portrait Bust

300 W. 19th Street
Chicago, IL 60616
United States

Show on Map
Return of the Yellow Cranes
Return of the Yellow Cranes | Artwork

1700 S. Wentworth Avenue
Chicago, IL 60616
United States

Show on Map