Residents can also share ideas through a community survey, open through January 31
The Chicago Park District will host a series of seven town halls, beginning Wednesday, January 17th, to encourage residents to “Picture Your Parks” and to gather input for the District 2024 Strategic Plan. These community engagement opportunities provide a forum for residents to play a vital role in the future vision for their parks and the overall vitality and usefulness of Chicago’s park system. The Park District will use the information, ideas and feedback shared during the town halls to develop the long-term, comprehensive strategy that will pilot parks over the next decade. This includes reimagining the District’s purpose and structure, developing initiatives to strengthen its workforce, examining recreational programs and use of park spaces, and providing a blueprint to serve the public while also preserving the District’s fiscal stability into the future.
Residents are also invited to complete this survey to provide additional feedback and ideas. The survey is available in multiple languages and is open until January 31.
“We urge residents throughout the city to help shape the future of our parks by participating in the strategic plan town halls and completing the community survey,” said Chicago Park District General Superintendent and CEO Rosa Escareño. “This marks a very pivotal time as the need for parks and uses of our spaces evolve. There is no better opportunity than now to create a plan to set us on a course to strengthen our parks and the delivery of services. However, we cannot achieve this alone, we must have collective input from park stakeholders in every neighborhood.”
The town halls do not require advance registration. They will be held on:
Wednesday, January 17 – Virtual
6:00 – 7:00 pm
Join the Virtual Town Hall here
Thursday, January 18 – McKinley Park
2210 W. Pershing Rd., Chicago, IL 60609
5:00 – 7:00 pm
Saturday, January 20 – Horner Park
2741 W. Montrose Ave., Chicago, IL 60618
10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Tuesday, January 23 – Virtual
6:00 – 7:00 pm
Join the Virtual Town Hall here
Wednesday, January 24 – Garfield Park (Golden Dome)
100 N. Central Park Ave., Chicago, IL 60624
5:00 – 7:00 pm
Thursday, January 25 – Virtual
12:00 – 1:00 pm
Join the Virtual Town Hall here
Monday, January 29 – South Shore Cultural Center
7059 S. South Shore Dr., Chicago, IL 60649
6:00 – 8:00 pm
The Chicago Park District is one of the largest, most interactive public park systems in the nation. The District’s assets include nearly 9,000 acres of parkland, 616 parks, 233 park fieldhouses, 26 miles of lakefront, nine golf courses, two conservatories and one historic events venue. Each year, the Park District offers thousands of recreational and enrichment opportunities for residents of all ages, attracting more than 600,000 enrollments for programs and events annually. The District is also home to Chicago’s iconic Museum Campus and the curator of an impressive collection of public art featuring more than 300 sculptures, fountains and monuments.
As the city’s leading greening steward, the District also manages and protects nearly 2,000 acres of natural areas, including native Illinois habitats such as prairies, wetlands and woodlands that provide important habitat for wildlife such as migratory birds, and also provide Chicagoans with access to nature in their own communities.
The District’s last strategic plan was released in 2012 and was updated in 2014 and 2016.
Additional information about the Park District’s strategic plan is available here.