A FINAL PLAN WILL BE DEVELOPED BASED ON COMMUNITY FEEDBACK FROM THIS MEETING
The Chicago Park District will present several design alternatives for Washington Park as part of the Framework Plan Development Process at a public open house. The event will be held on Saturday, February 3rd at Washington Park, 5531 S. King Dr., from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
The Washington Park Framework Plan process is guided by six objectives: prioritizing people over cars, creating new experiences for neighbors and park visitors, maintaining and enhancing high-quality natural areas, generating opportunities to see the park in new ways, activating edges of the park, and celebrating the park’s history. This Plan would reimagine the 2002 Washington Park Framework Plan, and consider the needs of the current residents and park users.
WHEN: Saturday, February 3rd, 2024 from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
WHERE: Washington Park Fieldhouse (Gymnasium), 5531 S. King Drive
Since Fall 2022, the Chicago Park District has been engaging the community in several pop-up public meetings, stakeholder interviews, focus groups highlighting mobility, nature, health, and schools/youth, and site visits with partner agencies as well as collected data through online surveys. As a result of the robust engagement process, community residents and stakeholders identified the following areas of focus in and around the park to propose design alternatives:
- Park-Wide Bike Circulation
- Athletic Areas
- Morgan Drive
- The Triangle
- Fieldhouse and Pool
- Lagoon + Island
At the February 3rd meeting, participants will be invited to learn more about the diverse approaches to each of the design focus areas and engage in voting on their favorite concepts using an interactive voting card. Upon submission of the completed voting card, attendees will be entered into a gift card raffle. The event is family-friendly and will include a coloring station for children, as well as snacks and refreshments. An online survey will be made available after the in-person meeting to gather additional feedback from residents. For additional information, please visit https://bit.ly/WPFP-Feb3.
“Parks belong to communities and people, which is why this Framework Planning process is so important. This Plan provides an opportunity for communities to give us input about how they envision the evolution of Chicago’s historic and iconic parks as a vital resource and guides our goals to better address their needs effectively,” said Chicago Park District Superintendent & CEO Rosa Escareño. “With support from our local elected officials, the Park District has engaged the Washington Park and Woodlawn neighborhood in the development of a plan for a park that they can rely on for services and an improved quality of life for many years to come.”
“I’m excited to partner with Chicago Park District and community residents to redesign what our parks look like. Often, we are not at the table or part of the conversation when it comes to design and addressing community needs. I invite you to come and participate in the Alternative Open House Design workshops,” said Alderwoman Jeanette Taylor, 20th ward.