Ehrler (William) Park

The Chicago Board of Education acquired property from 1856-1905.  The Chicago Park District established Ehrler Park on Board of Education-owned property in 1964. Known first as Cortland and Oakley Park, the 0.92-acre site was improved with an asphalt slab and playground equipment surrounded by lawn and trees.

In 1974, the Chicago Park District renamed the site as Daisy Park as part of a city-wide program to name parks for trees and plants. In 1989, the Bucktown Community Organization asked the Park District to rename the park for William J. Ehrler Jr. (1944-1988). A computer analyst for the Chicago Transit Authority, Ehrler had been active community leader. He served as President of the Bucktown Community Organization, Chairman of the Holstein Park Advisory Council and board member of the Bucktown Artsfest. Soon after renaming the site, the park district constructed a new soft surface playground there. In early 1991, the Board of Education transferred full ownership of the property to the Chicago Park District, which added ornamental iron fencing along Cortland Street in 1998. The park underwent a complete rehabilitation project with new playground equipment in 2002.