Lakefront Trail Maintenance Alert: Over the next several months, repairs will be made throughout the trail, one section at a time. Work will start on the south end and move north. Signage will be placed ahead of the construction site. Please be alert and safe, and avoid these active construction work zones. Learn more: Lakefront Trail Maintenance. Posted 9/15/26
Board Votes on Park #567 as Dont Fret Park and Approves Contracts for Essential Operating Resources
Park Board and District posthumously honors South Region Director Jim Sifuentes; Park District delivers presentation on Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations in the parks
Chicago, IL- Today, the Chicago Park District Board of Commissioners convened at the Park District headquarters, 4830 S. Western Avenue for its regular, monthly board meeting. The agenda included proposed changes to Chapter VII and Chapter XI of the Park District Code. Proposed amendments to Chapter VII include the District’s request to remove the Board provisional approval requirement for a permit application for an event or activity with 10,000 or more attendees per day and to add a report to the Board on all approved permits. If approved, this Code amendment will not change the District’s requirements for large-scale events, including community engagement but will allow the Board to focus on more substantive matters.
The Park District also recommended that the Board of Commissioners consider the proposed amendments to Chapter XI to improve efficiencies, including increasing the authority for the Director of Purchasing from $20,000 to $50,000 and updating the small purchase program to cover purchases $20,000 to $50,000, which was previously set at $15,000 to $20,000; delegate authority to the CEO to exercise contract extension options for contracts authorized by the Board, except where the Board in its grant of authority specifically retains the authority to exercise extension options; authorize the Director of Purchasing to determine whether a procurement matter should be procured through competitive sealed bids or through competitive sealed proposals; and move the exemptions from competitive procurement to a standalone section to better clarify that these exemptions apply to any contracts authorized by the Director of Purchasing pursuant to the District’s Code.
The proposed Code changes initiate a 45-day public comment period in which residents can provide feedback on the proposed changes after which the Board can vote to approve or reject. The public can share their comments on the proposed Code changes at www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/chicago-park-district-code.
During today’s meeting, the Board voted to initiate the 45-day public comment period to rename Park #559, located at 6151 N. Sheridan Rd. as Edgewater Prairie Park. The proposed name recognizes the development of the park’s native plants and the community’s efforts to steward that growth and evolution. Since 2024, volunteers, residents, community organizations and other local partners have worked together to restore native habitat within Park 559, which was previously an area primarily occupied by open turf grass. Today it has become an emerging pollinator habitat with environmental opportunities and on-going community protection. The naming request is supported by the Berger Park Advisory Council and supported by a petition of area residents.
The Board also voted to initiate the 45-day public comment period to rename Park #567, located at 1801 N Milwaukee Avenue in honor of the late street artist, painter and writer Dont Fret. Born and raised in Wicker Park, where Park 567 is located, and his work championed ordinary Chicagoans, bringing into the visual sphere the spirit of the literary works of greats like Nelson Algren and Studs Terkel. He achieved his first recognition at the Chicago Cultural Center’s “Chicago Street Art” show in 2013. His work was featured on the Chicago Tribune's front page, on Chicago’s riverwalk and the Chicago Reader named him best street artist of 2015. His work has been exhibited in cities such as New York, Denver, San Francisco, Budapest, Warsaw, London, Sao Paulo and Berlin.
The Friends of Dont Fret, an organization dedicated to preserving the legacy of the late artist requested the Park District to name the currently unnamed Park 567 located at 1801 N Milwaukee Avenue, Chicago, Illinois, to Dont Fret Park. This naming request is supported by the Friends of Dont Fret, the Bucktown Community Organization, the Wicker Park/Bucktown Chamber of Commerce, the Wicker Park Advisory Council, and 1st Ward Ald. Daniel La Spata.
Residents can submit their comments on proposals the rename Park #559 as Edgewater Prairie Park and rename Park #567 as Don’t Fret Park on the Chicago Park District’s website at www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/park-namings-renamings.
Also during the meeting, the Park District and Board honored the life and contributions of James (Jim) Sifuentes, South Region Director who passed away June 15, 2026. Jim first joined the Chicago Park District in 1997 as a Program Specialist. He was promoted to Central Area Manager in 1998 and served in that position for two years before taking different career paths. Sifuentes returned to the Chicago Park District in March 2024 and honorably served as the South Region Director within the Community Recreation Department. In addition to a dedicated public servant who led with great integrity, dedication, joy, and passion to bring excellence to his staff and the communities he served. In addition, Sifuentes was a passionate musician who released two albums in recent years, sharing his gift of music with Chicago Park District colleagues, patrons and music lovers abroad.
The Park District delivered a presentation to highlight Hispanic Heritage Month, celebrated September 15th through October 15th, to recognize and uplift the contributions, rich cultural diversity and influence of the Hispanic diaspora. Chicago parks are leading, cultural neighborhood hubs that showcase and provide opportunities to enjoy Hispanic culture including cultural exhibits, arts & crafts, music, and dance, in recognition of the contributions made by Latin Americans to our society. Chicago parks are also hone to the esteemed National Museum of Mexican Art in Harrison Park and the National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture in Humboldt Park. For more information on programs and events planned in the parks, visit the Chicago Park District website.
The Board also authorized an agreement to transfer the Friends of the Viking Ship to transfer the bust of Captain Magnus Andersen to Friends of the Viking Ship, an Illinois not-for-profit corporation for a term of twenty years pursuant to a loan agreement. The sculpture will be on exhibit alongside the Viking Ship display in Good Templar Park, 528 East Side Dr., Geneva, Illinois and eventual transfer for display at the permanent Friends of the Viking Ship Museum in Geneva, Illinois. The bust of Captain Magnus Andersen was presented to the city of Chicago and Chicago Park District by a group of Norwegian government representatives and societies in 1936.
The September board agenda also included one year contract extensions for essential pool and boiler equipment supply for park facilities across the District and delivery and ambulance and paramedical services for park programs and events citywide. The Board also authorized a contract for the service, maintenance and repair of large and small equipment.