Welcome to Taylor-Lauridsen!
Welcome to Taylor-Lauridsen!
The playground at Taylor-Lauridsen
The playground at Taylor-Lauridsen
Fun in the gym at Taylor-Lauridsen Playground Park
Fun in the gym at Taylor-Lauridsen Playground Park
The fitness center at Taylor-Lauridsen
The fitness center at Taylor-Lauridsen
Happy Summer Day Campers at Taylor-Lauridsen
Happy Summer Day Campers at Taylor-Lauridsen
Location:

704 W. 42nd St.
Chicago, IL 60609

Supervisor: Rebecca Koenig
Phone Numbers: Main (312) 747-6729

 

Hours

Park Hours
Day Time slot Comment
Sunday: 6:00 am-11:00 pm
Monday: 6:00 am-11:00 pm
Tuesday: 6:00 am-11:00 pm
Wednesday: 6:00 am-11:00 pm
Thursday: 6:00 am-11:00 pm
Friday: 6:00 am-11:00 pm
Saturday: 6:00 am-11:00 pm
Fieldhouse Hours
Day Time slot Comment
Sunday Closed
Monday 8:00 am-9:00 pm
Tuesday 8:00 am-9:00 pm
Wednesday 8:00 am-9:00 pm
Thursday 8:00 am-9:00 pm
Friday 8:00 am-8:00 pm
Saturday 9:00 am-4:00 pm

Description

Located in the New City Community Area, Taylor-Lauridsen Park totals 4.90 acres and features a new state-of-the-art field house, completed in 2010 which houses a gymnasium, fitness center and meeting rooms.

Outside, the park offers a soft surface playground, an athletic field for football or soccer and a baseball field. Many of these spaces are available for rental.

Park-goers can play seasonal sports at the facility. 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, Taylor-Lauridsen Park hosts fun special events throughout the year for the whole family, such as holiday events and Night Out in the Parks movies and concerts.

History

The New City community grew up around Chicago's world-renowned Union Stock Yards, founded in 1865. By the first decades of the 20th century, the stock yards and related industries had brought successive waves of immigrant laborers into the neighborhood. New City's population reached 92,659 in 1920.

In 1922, the City's Bureau of Parks and Recreation decided to establish a much-needed park in the northeast corner of the neighborhood. However, condemnation proceedings delayed development for more than five years.

Finally, in 1928, the bureau improved the site with a gravel-surfaced playground and ball diamond, an oval wading pool with a pergola shelter, and a small office building with open sand court wings. In the years following World War II, the building wings were enclosed to create a year-round recreational building, and the wading pool was converted to a spray pool.

In 1957, the City transferred the park to the Chicago Park District, along with more than 250 other properties, pursuant to the Chicago Park and City Exchange of Functions Act. After paving the playground in 1964, the Park District made more extensive improvements in the late 1980s and 1990s, constructing a soft surface playground and enclosing the park with ornamental fencing.

The park and adjacent Graham Elementary School are jointly operated by the Park District and the Board of Education. The park was long known as Boyce Field. In September, 1976, the Park District renamed the site Taylor-Lauridsen Park at the request of numerous community groups and organizations. An ordinance was passed in 2002 to vacate a portion of South Union Avenue to expand the park.  The Park District has been leasing a portion of the park property from the City since 2008. 

The park's new name honors highly-regarded neighborhood residents John Taylor and Emil Lauridsen, who were murdered on March 13, 1976 after stepping in to help a 15-year-old who was being attacked by four assailants.

Advisory Council

Meeting Details:

 

 

Parking/Directions

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

Map & Facilities

Taylor-Lauridsen Clubroom

704 W. 42nd St.
Chicago, IL 60609
United States

Taylor-Lauridsen Baseball Field

704 W. 42nd St.
Chicago, IL 60609
United States

Taylor-Lauridsen Fieldhouse

704 W. 42nd St.
Chicago, IL 60609
United States

Taylor-Lauridsen Fitness Center

704 W. 42nd St.
Chicago, IL 60609
United States

Taylor-Lauridsen Football/Soccer Field

704 W. 42nd St.
Chicago, IL 60609
United States

Taylor-Lauridsen Gymnasium

704 W. 42nd St.
Chicago, IL 60609
United States

Taylor-Lauridsen Playground

704 W. 42nd St.
Chicago, IL 60609
United States

Taylor-Lauridsen Water Spray Feature

704 W. 42nd St.
Chicago, IL 60609
United States

Taylor Lauridsen Nature Garden

704 W. 42nd St.
Chicago, IL 60609
United States

:
default image
Taylor-Lauridsen Clubroom

704 W. 42nd St.
Chicago, IL 60609
United States

Show on Map
default image
Taylor-Lauridsen Baseball Field

704 W. 42nd St.
Chicago, IL 60609
United States

Show on Map
default image
Taylor-Lauridsen Fieldhouse

704 W. 42nd St.
Chicago, IL 60609
United States

Show on Map
Taylor-Lauridsen Fitness Center
Taylor-Lauridsen Fitness Center

704 W. 42nd St.
Chicago, IL 60609
United States

Show on Map
default image
Taylor-Lauridsen Football/Soccer Field

704 W. 42nd St.
Chicago, IL 60609
United States

Show on Map
default image
Taylor-Lauridsen Gymnasium

704 W. 42nd St.
Chicago, IL 60609
United States

Show on Map
default image
Taylor-Lauridsen Playground

704 W. 42nd St.
Chicago, IL 60609
United States

Show on Map
default image
Taylor-Lauridsen Water Spray Feature

704 W. 42nd St.
Chicago, IL 60609
United States

Show on Map
Taylor Lauridsen Nature Garden
Taylor Lauridsen Nature Garden

704 W. 42nd St.
Chicago, IL 60609
United States

:
Show on Map