How should $500,000 improve Chicago’s parks?

Chicago’s parks have long been more than just green spaces, they are gathering places, community and cultural anchors, and essential resources that shape the health and identity of our communities. Whether it’s walking along the lakefront or spending time at a local playground, parks give people space to relax, recharge, and just be outside. At the same time, not everyone has had equal access to these kinds of spaces, which is why it’s so important to keep investing in and advocating for parks in every neighborhood.

A powerful example of that advocacy is unfolding on the city’s Southeast Side. After decades of organizing, legal action, and persistent community pressure led in part by Friends of the Parks, a former confined disposal facility, once used for industrial waste, is now set to be transformed into a new public park. Their work alongside residents, partners, and city leaders helped push this long-delayed commitment forward, turning a contaminated site into a future community asset and expanding access to Chicago’s lakefront.

At the same time, conversations about the future of Chicago’s parks are gaining momentum. With new funding opportunities emerging and public input actively encouraged, residents are being asked to help shape what comes next.

Taking inspiration from the advocacy efforts of Friends of the Parks and the growing public dialogue around park improvements, we turned to our own community. We asked a simple but revealing question: if you could invest $500,000 into a Chicago park, which one would it be, and why?