Mandrake (Henry Brown) Park

Programming is now held in the former Abraham Lincoln Center.

Track practice at Mandrake

Mandrake Park playground

Mandrake Park comfort station

In the gym at Mandrake Park

After-school fun at Mandrake Park!

Location:

3858 S. Cottage Grove
Chicago, IL 60653

Supervisor: Imani Gordon

Phone Numbers: Main (312) 747-9938

Hours

Park Hours

Weekday	Time slot	Comment
Sunday:	6:00 am-9:00 pm
Monday:	6:00 am-9:00 pm
Tuesday:	6:00 am-9:00 pm
Wednesday:	6:00 am-9:00 pm
Thursday:	6:00 am-9:00 pm
Friday:	6:00 am-9:00 pm
Saturday:	6:00 am-9:00 pm

Fieldhouse Hours

Weekday	Time slot	Comment
Sunday	Closed
Monday	9:00 am-8:00 pm
Tuesday	9:00 am-6:00 pm
Wednesday	9:00 am-6:00 pm
Thursday	9:00 am-6:00 pm
Friday	9:00 am-6:00 pm
Saturday	Closed

Description

Located in the Oakland community, Mandrake Park totals 10.16 acres and features a playground, tennis courts, basketball courts, baseball diamonds, a running track and an artificial turf multi-purpose athletic field.

Chicago Park District programs are now offered in the former Abraham Lincoln Center, which serves as the fieldhouse for Mandake Park. The fieldhouse offers meeting rooms, a large gymnasium, a performance auditorium, and a culinary center. It is located across the street from the track and playground on the corner of Pershing Road and Cottage Grove Avenue.

Patrons come to Mandrake Park to play basketball and seasonal sports at the facility. The park is a popular destination for athletics programs, including track and flag football. In the summer, youth attend the Park District's popular Summer Day Camp program, and after-school activities are offered throughout the year.

In addition to programming, Mandrake Park offers special events throughout the year including Gym Showcases, Movies in the Park screenings and other Night Out in the Parks special events.

History

In the early 1990s, when the Chicago Department of Transportation undertook improvements to Pershing Road and Oakwood Boulevard, the Chicago Park District began planning a new park between the two parallel streets. Numerous public meetings were held to obtain the views of residents of Douglas to the north and Grand Boulevard to the south concerning how best to design the park to draw the two communities together.

After acquiring the property in 1999 and 2000, the Chicago Park District developed plans for a multi-purpose athletic field, a running track, and a landscaped border to buffer the park from traffic. Work on the park continues.

The park honors Henry McNeil "Mandrake" Brown (1935-1996), who initiated grassroots efforts to eliminate alcohol- and tobacco-related billboards specifically targeting African-American and Latino children. Using the name Mandrake to shield his identity, Brown began whitewashing objectionable billboards in 1990. The first of these billboards was located at Oakwood Boulevard and Pershing Road.

Brown's efforts became the basis for preventing Power Master Malt Liquor from being marketed to African-Americans; removing 700 illegal billboards in Chicago through use of Chicago's zoning laws; and removing alcohol and tobacco billboards located within 500 feet of schools and churches. Brown also founded the Citywide Coalition Against Tobacco and Alcohol Billboards and the National Association for Positive Imagery.

Advisory Council

Contact: Daniel Cortez, President

Email: contact@mpacchicago.com

Meeting Details:

4th Monday of the month at 6:30pm.

PAC meetings will be held virtually until further notice please contact the Mandrake Park Advisory Council for details.

Parking/Directions

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

Name	Number	Type	Category	Ages	Dates	Fee
Park Kids - Spring at Mandrake	516031	Instruction	After School	At least 6 but less than 13	From March 31, 2025 to June 13, 2025 Each Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday from 3pm to 6pm	$15.00
Cardio Tennis Partnership at Mandrake	531037	Partnership Group	Tennis	18 and up	From April 1, 2025 to May 6, 2025 Each Tuesday from 7:30am to 8:30am	$72.00
Cardio Tennis Partnership at Mandrake	531038	Partnership Group	Tennis	18 and up	From May 13, 2025 to June 17, 2025 Each Tuesday from 7:30am to 8:30am	$72.00
Tennis 101 Partnership at Mandrake	531080	Partnership Group	Tennis	At least 5 but less than 9	From May 14, 2025 to June 18, 2025 Each Wednesday from 5:30pm to 6:30pm	$60.00
Dance - Hip Hop at Mandrake	515286	Instruction	Dance	At least 6 but less than 13	From April 2, 2025 to June 4, 2025 Each Wednesday from 5pm to 6pm	Free
Dance - Steppers at Mandrake	515304	Instruction	Dance	60 and up	From March 31, 2025 to June 4, 2025 Each Monday,Wednesday from 11am to 2pm	Free
Seasonal Sports at Mandrake	516311	Instruction	Seasonal Sports	At least 6 but less than 13	From April 1, 2025 to May 29, 2025 Each Tuesday,Thursday from 4:30pm to 6:30pm	Free
Zumba at Mandrake	517403	Instruction	Fitness	40 and up	From April 1, 2025 to May 27, 2025 Each Tuesday from 6:15pm to 7:15pm	Free
Basketball - Open at Mandrake	514837	Open	Basketball	30 and up	From April 5, 2025 to May 31, 2025 Each Saturday from 9am to 11am	$10.00
Mens Basketball - Open at Mandrake	514838	Open	Basketball	30 and up	From March 31, 2025 to May 26, 2025 Each Monday from 6:15pm to 8:15pm	$10.00
Basketball - Open at Mandrake	514839	Open	Basketball	30 and up	From April 2, 2025 to May 28, 2025 Each Wednesday from 6:15pm to 8:15pm	$10.00
Basketball - Open at Mandrake	514840	Open	Basketball	30 and up	From April 5, 2025 to June 14, 2025 Each Saturday from 11:30am to 1:30pm	$10.00
Pickleball - Open at Mandrake	516129	Open	Pickleball	60 and up	From March 31, 2025 to May 30, 2025 Each Monday,Friday from 1pm to 3pm	Free
Pickleball - Open at Mandrake	516130	Open	Pickleball	40 and up	From March 31, 2025 to May 30, 2025 Each Monday,Wednesday,Friday from 9am to 12pm	Free
Teen Club at Mandrake	516863	Open	Clubs	At least 13 but less than 18	From March 31, 2025 to May 30, 2025 Each Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday from 6pm to 7:30pm	Free
Walking Club at Mandrake	517255	Open	Walking	50 and up	From April 4, 2025 to May 30, 2025 Each Friday from 12pm to 1:30pm	Free

Name

Number

Type

Hours

Park Hours

Fieldhouse Hours

Description

History

Advisory Council

Parking/Directions

Map & Facilities

Mandrake Auditorium

Mandrake Baseball Field

Mandrake Basketball Courts - Outdoor

Mandrake Dance Studio

Mandrake Gymnasium

Mandrake Culinary Center

Mandrake Clubrooms

Mandrake Park Fieldhouse

Mandrake Playground

Mandrake Tennis Courts

Mandrake Pickleball Courts

Programs

2025 Spring: Zone 2: East of California

Documents

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