Smith (Joseph Higgins) Park
Located in the West Town Community, Smith Park totals 10.20 acres and features a field house with a gymnasium, kitchen and meeting rooms. Outside, the park offers a children’s soft surface a playground, a water spray feature, a swimming pool, baseball fields and an athletic field for football or soccer. In addition, Smith Park has Tennis & Pickleball courts. Many of these spaces are available for rental.
Park-goers can play seasonal sports at the facility or bring the children for tots programming. After school programs are offered throughout the school year, and in the summer youth attend the Park District’s popular six-week day camp. In addition to programs, Smith Park hosts fun special events throughout the year for the whole family, such Movies in the Park and other Night Out in the Parks special events.
In 1929, when a large city dump in the West Town neighborhood had been completely filled, the Bureau of Sanitation transferred part of the site to the Bureau of Parks and Recreation.
Although it had been named, the park had few improvements until the late 1930s, when the City installed playground equipment, constructed a small brick recreation building, and created an athletic field that was flooded in winter for ice skating. By the late 1950s, a World War II tank and artillery piece had been placed in the park.
In 1957, the City of Chicago transferred Smith Park to the Chicago Park District, along with more than 200 other properties, pursuant to the Chicago Park and City Exchange of Functions Act. After making initial improvements, the Park District added a spraypool, swimming pool, and bath house in the late 1960s. In 1979, a large modern fieldhouse was constructed in Smith Park. Nine years later, the Park District dedicated its gymnasium to Tommy Positano, a high school student who had been active at the park, and who received a Junior Citizenship Award posthumously.
The City named it the Smith Athletic Field for Joseph Higgins Smith, alderman of the surrounding 32nd ward from 1914 to 1933. (At the time, the City regularly named parks for standing aldermen of the wards in which the sites were located.)
For directions using public transportation visit www.transitchicago.com.
Contact: David Ramos, President
Contact Email: dramos8569@sbcglobal.net
Contact Phone: (312) 388-2980
Meetings: Bi-Monthly,1st Tuesday every other month at 6pm
Website: Smith Park Advisory Council website
Facilities at Smith (Joseph Higgins) Park
Programs at Smith (Joseph Higgins) Park
Each Tuesday from 7:30am to 8:30am
Each Tuesday from 6pm to 7pm
Each Tuesday from 7:30am to 8:30am
Each Tuesday from 6pm to 7pm
Each Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday from 9am to 3pm
Except the following dates:
Friday, Jul 4, 2025
Each Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday from 9am to 3pm
Except the following dates:
Friday, Jul 4, 2025
Each Friday from 10am to 1pm
Except the following dates:
Friday, Jul 4, 2025
Each Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday from 10am to 4pm
Except the following dates:
Friday, Jul 4, 2025
Each Tuesday from 3pm to 4pm
Each Tuesday from 5pm to 6pm