Union Park

1501 W. Randolph St. Chicago IL 60606

Hours: Park: 6am - 11pm

Fieldhouse: M- F 11am - 7:30pm, Sa-Su - Closed. Gym Building 11:30am-8pm, Sat. 9am-5pm Sun. closed

Park Supervisor:
Tony Fitzgerald

(312) 746-5494

Description

Located in the Near West Community Area, Union Park totals [13.46] acres and features a fieldhouse and separate building which houses the gymnasium and fitness center and locker rooms. In the fieldhouse there is also a theater room with stage and meeting rooms. Outside, the park offers tennis courts, baseball fields, swimming pool, playground and athletic field for football or soccer and basketball courts.

Many of these spaces are available for rental. Park-goers can play seasonal at the facility. Union Park also offers a community partnership with “Girls in the Game, a program of mentoring for girls ages 9-14 years. After school programs are offered throughout the school year, and in the summer youth attend the Park District’s popular six-week day camp.

In addition to programs, Union Park hosts fun special events throughout the year for the whole family, such as the Pitchfork Music Festival and other festival events.

3/6/2013
Get Swimsuit Ready for Spring Break with Two Weeks of Free Fitness Classes March 18-30
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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
Baseball Field	1501 W. Randolph St.	4
Basketball Court - Outdoor	1501 W. Randolph St.	2
Fieldhouse	1501 W. Randolph St.	1
Fitness Centers	1501 W. Randolph St.	1	M-F 11:30am-7:30pm, Sat 12pm-4pm ADA Accessible Equipment Sign up for a membership
Football / Soccer - Grass	1501 W. Randolph St.	1
Gymnasiums	1501 W. Randolph St.	1
Horseshoe Pits	1501 W. Randolph St.	2
Meeting/Event Space	1501 W. Randolph St.	4
Meeting/Event Space	1501 W. Randolph St.	1
Picnic Groves	1501 W. Randolph St.	9
Playgrounds	1501 W. Randolph St.	1
Swimming Pools - Outdoor	1501 W. Randolph St.	1	Closed for the season. Accessibility feature: Lift.
Tennis Courts	1501 W. Randolph St.	2
Water Spray Features	1501 W. Randolph St.	1

History

The city created Union Park in 1853, after residents convinced developers to sell 13 acres of their subdivision at a reduced price. Named in honor of the Federal Union, it was one of the city's most fashionable places. In 1885, the city transferred Union Park to the West Park Commission, which made the park its headquarters. Three years later, Jens Jensen, then working as gardener, planted an experimental wildflower garden called the American Garden, marking the beginnings of his venerable naturalistic style. In the 1910s, African-Americans began moving into the neighborhood. While many other parks were inaccessible to black residents, Union Park became racially integrated. Between the 1920s and the 1950s, the park became well-known for cultural and social events, and a number of notable musicians performed there. Among them were the noted pioneer of gospel music Thomas A. Dorsey; trumpeter Sunny Cohn; and jazz pianist Ramsey Lewis.