Normandy Park

Normandy Park is one of many new parks created by the City of Chicago to meet increasing recreational needs after World War II. The surrounding Garfield Ridge community experienced a remarkable building boom after the war, when nearby industrial development drew many new residents.  Between 1940 and 1960, population jumped from just under 7,000 to more than 40,000. The City identified a site in the far western section of the neighborhood for a new park in 1955. The City acquired the property for the park development from 1955 to 1956.  The Bureau of Parks and Recreation drew up park plans that included a small fieldhouse, volleyball and basketball courts, two softball diamonds, a spray pool, and playground equipment. The City transferred Normandy Park to the Chicago Park District in 1957, along with more than 200 other properties, pursuant to the Chicago Park and City Exchange of Functions Act.

Following common practice at the time, the park was named for the adjacent street, Normandy Avenue. The street name honors the Normandy region of France, coincidentally the site of the pivotal Allied invasion of Europe in 1944.