Hours
Park Hours
Description
Winnemac Park, part of the school-park campus program, encompasses 22.38 acres, including land owned by both the Chicago Public Schools and Chicago Park District. Bounded by Damen, Foster, Leavitt and Argyle, Winnemac Park offers programming and program registration in Amundsen High School, Chappell Elementary School and Winnemac Stadium.
In 2008 the park officially opened a new accessible playground for the community. The park was renovated in 1999 with $2 million in improvements including the addition of 200 trees, a scenic prairie garden and nature trail, three softball fields, a soccer field and new walkways, decorative lights and fencing.
Winnemac youth programs include basketball, bitty basketball, after-school drop-in, table fun and games, soccer, Cubs Care rookie baseball, and summer day camp.
Please note that swimming programs associated with Winnemac Park are held within Amundsen High School’s pool, but remain listed under Winnemac Park in the schedule.
To enter Amundsen High School for swimming and gym activities use door #4 after 6pm.
History
Lying adjacent to Chappell Elementary and Amundsen High School, Winnemac Park has served as both park and school land for many years. The City of Chicago's Special Parks Commission established the park in 1910, on land leased from the Board of Education. Shortly thereafter, the commission graded and landscaped the former truck farm, installing a number of athletic fields. In 1929, the board built Amundsen High School on the northeast corner of the site. Chappell Elementary was built west of the high school in 1937. The site also includes Hansen field, a football and soccer stadium erected in the 1930s. The Chicago Park District took responsibility for maintaining the park facilities in 1959. In 1991, the Board of Education transferred to the park district the portion of the park lying south of Winnemac Street; the park district is now acquiring the remaining land. Winnemac Park is named for the adjacent street. The roadway in turn takes its name from Winamac, an important chief of the Potowatamie Indians. Winamac, whose name meant "catfish," was a signer of the 1795 Treaty of Grenville, in which Great Lakes tribes surrendered the site of Chicago to the U.S. government. Winamac and his people fought with the British in the War of 1812, and the warrior died during the fighting.
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