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A message about Citywide Participatory Budgeting from General Superintendent & CEO, Carlos Ramirez-Rosa.
Participatory Budgeting (PB) is a democratic process where community members decide how to spend a portion of public funds. It’s a way for YOU — residents, park users, and neighbors — to have a direct say in how money is invested in your park. At the Chicago Park District we are implementing Participatory Budgeting via a citywide process and park-specific processes, funded through revenue from large events that take place at that park. Learn more about our citywide process and park-specific processes here.
Citywide Participatory Budget
Summary
In 2026, the Chicago Park District (CPkD) is launching a Citywide Participatory Budget (PB) process to deepen community engagement, increase transparency in public spending, and strengthen resident trust in park planning and resource allocation.
Through this initiative, residents, park users, and community stakeholders will be invited to submit specific park improvement ideas for parks across the city. CPkD will evaluate the ideas for viability and then group the ideas submitted into broader project categories, for instance Public Safety or Environment, to track the general types of projects being requested by the community. Community members will then vote on which broader categories they would most like the Park District to prioritize for funding initiatives.
The winning category or categories will guide how CPkD allocates the PB capital funds. Projects submitted by individuals within the winning category will be evaluated for feasibility of the proposed scope and availability of budget to complete the project. As many feasible projects as possible will be implemented with the funding available. Following a PB model ensures that implemented park improvements reflect the collective priorities of Chicago’s communities.
$500,000 Investment
Your input provided during this participatory budget process will help guide investment across the District. As a goal of this initial pilot program, the District intends to advance approximately nine (9) proposed projects with an estimated value of roughly $50,000 each.
The District’s goal is to distribute these projects equitably, with approximately three (3) projects from the North Region, three (3) from the Central Region, and three (3) from the South Region, subject to feasibility, available funding, and final approvals.
Phases
- Idea Collection: Community members submit specific park improvement ideas for parks across the city, from January 17 - March 31, 2026.
- Feasibility of Projects: The Chicago Park District reviews submitted ideas to determine if they are viable, groups them into broader project categories, and assesses which project scopes are feasible.
- Citywide Vote: Residents vote on the broader project categories they want prioritized, guiding which types of improvements the Chicago Park District will fund and implement.
Submission Deadline: March 31, 2026
Project Cost Examples
Curious what park improvements cost? These sample price ranges help you understand what different types of projects may cost—so you can submit ideas that are realistic, impactful, and ready to be considered through Citywide Participatory Budgeting.
- Tree Planting - $600 - $800
$600 for an ornamental tree and $800 for a shade tree each. - Perennial Flower Bed (5x5 ft.) - $1,000 - $5,000
Cost does not include water infrastructure to care for the garden. - Bench or Picnic Table - $10,000
New ADA-accessible bench or picnic table on concrete pad. - Drinking Fountain - $10,000
New ADA-accessible drinking fountain with bottle filler (pending available existing water service). - Bleachers - $25,000
New ADA-accessible patron viewer bleachers at a sports field. - Fieldhouse Security Cameras - $25,000
Install new indoor fieldhouse security system. - Ballfield Rehab -$50,000
Resize and regrade a baseball or softball infield. - Nature Play Space - $50,000 average
New outdoor nature play area for children. Cost varies by size of play area. Additional community approvals required.
Larger projects, including new playgrounds, spray features, turf fields and fieldhouses are not recommended for the PB program as those costs exceed the Participatory Budget available. We still want to hear your ideas, though! For larger budget suggestions, please submit your ideas via the Capital Improvement Plan Suggestion Form.
Examples of costs for these larger projects are:
- Court Rehab - $100,000 per court
Full renovation of a basketball or tennis court including asphalt, color coating, access paving, nets, fencing as needed. - Pathway Paving - $100,000 average
Repave existing park pathways to include accessibility. Cost varies by size of park. - Athletic Field Lighting - $200,000
New outdoor sports lighting. - Playground Resurfacing - $250,000 average
New rubber soft surfacing and minor playground equipment upgrades as needed. Cost varies by size of playground. - Spray Feature - $350,000 average
New interactive outdoor water play feature. Cost varies by size of spray feature.
Steering Committee
Help shape how the PB funds are spent to improve parks and open spaces across the city! As a Steering Committee member, you’ll help guide the PB process, support idea collection and project development, and ensure it’s fair, inclusive, and community-driven — no experience necessary, just a passion for your neighborhood.
Park Specific Processes
While Chicagoans are invited to submit project ideas for all of our 600 parks, some parks have park-specific projects that have their own PB process funded via revenue from the large festivals and events hosted at their parks.
How It Works
The Participatory Budgeting process happens in several key steps:
- Steering Committee Formation
A group of local residents and stakeholders guide the PB process, helping shape the rules and ensure it's fair and inclusive. - Idea Collection
Community members submit ideas for how to improve the park. - Proposal Development
Volunteers and staff at the Chicago Park District help turn ideas into real project proposals with costs and designs. - Community Vote
Everyone gets to vote on the projects they want to see funded. The projects with the most votes get funded and built!
Why It Matters
Participatory Budgeting is about equity, transparency, and community power. It’s a way to bring neighbors together to reimagine public space — and make it happen. It ensures that community voices are leading the way in shaping how public dollars are spent.
Get Involved!
Whether you’re interested in sharing ideas, volunteering, voting, or helping spread the word — there’s a place for you in the PB process.
Parks
Project Status: Steering Committee Formation
Help shape how the Riot Fest GIVE BACK fund gets spent in Douglass Park. As a Steering Committee member, you’ll help design and guide a community-led process that gives residents real power over public dollars. No experience needed—just a passion for your community.
Project Status: Steering Committee Formation
Help shape how the Lollapalooza GIVE BACK fund gets spent in Grant Park! As a Steering Committee member, you’ll help design and guide a community-led process that gives residents real power over public dollars. No experience needed—just a passion for your community.
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