Events
Aug
18
Hours
Park Hours
Description
Located in the Douglas Community Area, Anderson Park totals 1 acre. The park is named for attorney Louis B. Anderson, who served as 2nd Ward alderman from 1917 to 1933.
Anderson Park offers indoor and outdoor basketball courts and a playground that was recently renovated as part of the Chicago Plays! playground initiative.
The park sits adjacent to the Mayo Elementary School and Ida B. Wells Preparatory Elementary School campus and shares a baseball field with these schools. In the fieldhouse, the park offers a gymnasium and a meeting room. Many of these spaces are available for rental for children's parties, community meetings and other events.
After school programs are offered throughout the school year, and in the summer youth attend the Park District’s popular six-week day camp. The park also hosts special events throughout the year including Night Out in the Parks and Movies in the Park events.
History
Anderson Park takes its name from attorney Louis B. Anderson (1870-1946), 2nd Ward alderman from 1917 to 1933. The Chicago City Council purchased the site of Anderson Park from the Olivet Baptist Church in 1926, and the City's Bureau of Parks began to develop the property the following year. In 1957, the property was transferred to the Chicago Park District pursuant to the Chicago Park and City Exchange of Functions Act. In 1994, the City acquired property adjacent to the park. In 1996, the City transferred this property to the Park District for the expansion of the park. The Park District replaced a small recreational building constructed by the City with a new fieldhouse in 1981.