7/20/26 Air Quality Alert: The Illinois EPA has declared an Air Pollution Action Day for the Greater Chicago Metropolitan Area for today. The Air Quality Index (AQI) levels now fall within the ORANGE category, indicating conditions may be unhealthy for sensitive groups. Learn more: Air Quality Alert
AUTHORIZES FIVE-YEAR AGREEMENT FOR THE DISTRICT’S CONCESSIONS PROGRAM; GRANTS PROVISIONAL APPROVAL FOR VARIOUS PERMITTED EVENTS INCLUDING A MULTI-YEAR AGREEMENT FOR CHICAGO MARATHON AND OTHER RUNS
Board hears a presentation on the District’s May in Motion program which encourages Chicagoans to a lead active lifestyle and Chicago Grows Together, the Park District’s equitable infrastructure improvement program, bringing $5 million in investment to parks in under-resourced communities
Today, during the regular monthly meeting, the Chicago Park District Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to re-elect Dr. Marlon Everett as the Board President and Modesto Valle as Vice President to the Board. President Everett was appointed to the Board by Mayor Johnson in September 2023. Modesto Valle was appointed to the Park Board in September 2021. Both Everett and Valle were previously re-elected to their respective positions last May.
The Board of Commissioners authorized the Park District to enter into a five-year agreement with Unison Consulting Incorporated to manage the District’s concessions program. The Park District offers more than 170 concessions, including food and beverage, retail merchandise, and other consumer-related services. Pursuant to the agreement, Unison Consulting, Inc. will manage all concessions on park property with the exception of Soldier Field, Huntington Bank Pavilion, Museums in the Park, golf courses & driving ranges and harbors.
“The Park District’s concessions program brings a variety of opportunities to neighborhood parks and the lakefront, including bike rentals, grab and go food offerings and a Michelin-starred restaurant that elevate the park visitor experience,” said Chicago Park District General Superintendent and CEO Carlos Ramirez-Rosa. “In addition, the program supports local businesses serves an important revenue generator for parks, driving an approximate $5 million in revenue annually.”
The management responsibilities include concession program enhancement, licensing and enforcement, capital improvement oversight, and marketing; as outlined in Chapter IX - Concessions and Food Services of the Code. The not-to-exceed amount for the five-year term is $5,533,668.00. MBE/WBE participation is 25% MBE and 5% WBE, meeting the District’s compliance goals.
Also during the meeting, the Board granted provisional approval for various large-permitted events including a multi-year agreement with Chicago Event Management, Inc. to permit the Bank of America Chicago 13.1 in Garfield Park and the Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle and the Bank of America Chicago Marathon in Grant Park. The Board also granted provisional approval for the ARC Music Festival to be held in Union Park and the Obama Presidential Center Viewing Event in Midway Plaisance.
The District delivered a presentation on May in Motion, the month-long initiative aimed to promote healthy and active living and urge Chicagoans to use parks as a resource for community well-being. To encourage residents to start or continue their health and wellness journey, the Park District is offering free access to 70 park fitness centers and more than 40 CPkD-lead fitness classes as well as pop-up classes held each Wednesday of the month. Residents can also take advantage of the District’s Go Runs, a series of free, timed 1 mile and 5K runs held in parks across the city. In addition, the Park District offers free fitness center access to patrons with a healthcare referral or prescription for exercise to treat a qualifying, chronic disease. For more information about May in Motion, visit the Chicago Park District at www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/may-motion.
At the meeting, General Superintendent lauded Chicago Grows Together (CGT), an equitable infrastructure improvement program, bringing $5 million in investment to neighborhood parks that have been under-resourced for far too long. This week, the Park District joined Mayor Johnson to launch CGT at the new playground at Carver Park in the Riverdale community – one of 16 projects to be completed under the program. Additional CGT investment will be made in Auburn Gresham, Austin, Back of the Yards, Brighton Park, Chicago Lawn, East Side, Grand Crossing, North Lawndale, Roseland, South Shore, and West Englewood. Chicago Grows Together is part of Mayor Johnson’s historic $45 million TIF surplus which will also fund investment in lead service line replacement, ADA improvements at park fieldhouses that serve as election polling sites and the repair or replacement of park fieldhouse air conditioning systems in areas with high heat risk as identified by Chicago’s Heat Vulnerability Index.
Other Board agenda items include the approval to extend the contract for imaging equipment and services, a one-year extension of the contract related to the Park District’s Workman’s Compensation program, and a presentation on board committee structure study.