The intent of the Seed Grant Program is to build community alliances, enhance green spaces and support park groups.  Through this program, we seek to: 1) leverage the dollars that are spent on parks in the Chicago;  2) promote and support community groups and community assets;  3) develop leaders who can share their knowledge with others, and  4)  provide additional resources to park advisory councils and adopt-a-park groups.

In 2012 Friends of the Park will award $10,000 for various projects in Chicago’s parks.

SeedGrantApplication2012 

The applications are due on Friday, Janaury 27, 2012. 

Appointed by Mayor Rahm Emanuel in October 2011, Superintendent Kelly is an attorney who has six years of experience working as the District’s Chief Operating Officer.  He led the development of the District’s long-term capital investment program, prioritizing $350 million in park design and construction projects.

Friends of the Parks honored those individuals and organizations that have most significantly contributed to the improvement of Chicago’s parks and forest preserves in 2011.  Among the eight awards given are those for advocacy, community, Park Advisory Council, legislative, and individual achievers.

Friends of the Parks is a non-profit park advocacy organization that works to protect, preserve and improve parks and forest preserves in Chicago.  Friends of the Parks builds stronger communities by empowering Chicagoans to take ownership of their neighborhood parks through volunteer activities and civic engagement.  

10 Best Winter Activities in Parks

Stay active, get outdoors, remain fit and enjoy the pleasures of Chicago’s winter season by embracing outside activities in Chicago’s parks. 

Ice Skate

Ice skate at 10 Chicago Park District neighborhood ice skating rinks or under the glow of the downtown lights at the McCormick Tribune Plaza and Ice Rink in Millennium Park. Skating at all Chicago Park District outdoor rinks is FREE. Bring your own ice skates or rent ice skates at all outdoor rinks.  Go to www.chicagoparkdistrict.com for locations.

Cross Country Ski

Cross country ski on freshly fallen snow along Chicago’s lakefront and in neighborhood parks.  Miles of parks are open for free cross country skiing.  In addition, Chicago’s nine public golf courses are not just for putting and riding around in carts, they are favorite places to cross country ski when the snow falls. 

Have Fun at the Polar Adventure Day

January 21, 2012

Northerly Island Park 

The Chicago Park District’s Polar Adventure Day offers family winter fun activities on Northerly Island.   Watch sculptors carve ice sculptures, pet assorted animals, learn about dog sledding, play with Siberian huskies, and enjoy live entertainment including storytelling centered around winter tales.  http://lakeviewpolarbearclub.com/Registration.html

Take an Icy Dip in Lake Michigan at the Polar Bear Plunge

January 28, 2012, Noon

Oak Street Beach

This is a long-standing annual event that attracts hundreds of brave Chicagoans to Oak Street Beach for a dive into the frigid waters of Lake Michigan.  Swimmers strip down to their swimsuits and try to plunge into the icy January waters (many getting as far as their toes) before retreating back to shore.  Whether you join in or prefer to be a spectator, this goofy, adrenaline-spiked crowd makes for a riotous fun time.  http://lakeviewpolarbearclub.com/Registration.html

Take a Walk in the Quiet Beauty of the Winter Landscape

Stay fit by taking a brisk daily walk in the park all winter long.  The lakefront and regional parks offer miles of walking trails. Chicago parks are beautiful all year long!

Go Sledding

As soon as the snow falls, take your family sledding at one of several sledding hills in the parks.  Cricket Hill at Montrose in Lincoln Park is the highest hill for sledding.  There are also sledding hills in Burnham Park, just south of Soldier Field and the Diversey Hill just south of Diversey along Cannon Drive, as well as in Stearns Quarry and Warren Park. 

Run along the Lakefront Trail

Don’t let winter slow you down from running. Whether you are training for a race or just run for fun go for a daily run in your local park.  Make sure you dress in layers and enjoy the wintery view.   The lakefront trail is generally plowed after snowfalls.

Sign Up for Winter Fun Runs and Races

Run with thousands of Chicagoans in one the many winter races Chicago has to offer such as the Shamrock Shuffle, the Super Bowl Shuffle 5K or Cupid’s Chase 5K.  Check out the link to the Chicago Area Runners Association for a schedule of upcoming races. http://www.cararuns.org/Racing/Find%20a%20Race.aspx

Try a new activity: Snowshoe in the Parks

All you need is a fresh snow to enjoy the extraordinary quiet and peace of Chicago’s winter white landscape.  Strap on snowshoes and walk in any neighborhood, regional or lakefront park.   Check out REI to rent snowshoes.  www.rei.com

Play in the Snow

Grab a hat and pull on your mittens because a fresh coating of snow is the perfect playground for kids young and old. Make a snow angel, build a snowman, or have a snowball fight with your friends.

Send Friends of the Parks photos of your winter hijinks (stonem@fotp.org)

A gun range is an inappropriate use of this open space site which is located within the Calumet Open Space Reserve as well as in the governor’s Millennium Reserve.   The Calumet Open Space Reserve Plan, completed in 2002, identified 4,000 acres for open space reclamation and future public recreational use.   Toward that goal, the city and the Park District have acquired 600 of those acres for public use and recreation.  The governor’s Millennium Reserve Plan targets 140,000 acres of green space to redevelop the southeast side as a tourist destination.  The Millennium Reserve is earmarked to be part of President Obama’s American’s Great Outdoors Initiative to reconnect Americans to our great outdoor treasures.  

The MWRD site is not suitable for a gun range.  The large parcel is contiguous to Whitford Pond and O’Brien Lock Marsh, both aquatic and wetland areas with vegetation and natural habitat that support a significant number of bird species including the state endangered Black-crowned Night-Heron.  In addition, Bald Eagles and Trumpeter Swans are regularly observed in the Calumet Reserve area.  The regular gun bursts and noise from the gun range will have negative impacts on birds and wildlife adjacent to the site, will disturb sensitive nesting areas and make the surrounding recreational lands unsuitable for people to use for quiet recreation activities.   

While we understand and support the Chicago Police Department’s training needs, we are aware that state-of-the-art range facilities exist in the region for law enforcement training.   

Ping Tom Park in Chinatown was constructed with gorgeous Chinese dragon pillars and pagodas reflecting the culture of the neighborhood.  Lakeshore East Park was designed as a multi-use active recreational park becoming the backyard of thousands of condo-dwellers.  Bridgeport’s Stearns Quarry, an abandoned stone quarry was transformed into a naturalistic landscape with a stream-meandering park giving people a new fishing hole.  As a landscape architect, Ernest Wong has taken Chicago’s urban parks to a new level of outstanding design.

The Parks Ball begins with cocktails, silent auction and a special performance,   ollowed by a sit-down dinner, a ceremony to honor Ernest Wong, and dancing.  Our guests will include leaders from Chicago’s civic, business, environmental and cultural communities.  The event will showcase the importance of parks as critical places in neighborhoods to play, exercise, relax, find beauty and escape the stresses of urban life.  Your support of the Parks Ball will enable us to take steps to implement The Last Four Miles Plan by acquiring 100 acres of land for a new lakefront park.

2012 Parks Ball

Friday, May 11, 2012

Gallaria Marchetti

825 W. Erie Street, Chicago, IL

For more information and for tickets, please contact Nancy Minster Swabb at (312) 857-2757 extension 11.

The Friends of the Parks 37th Annual Meeting and Awards Luncheon will be held on Thursday, February 2, 2012 at the historic Chicago Cultural Center.

Friends of the Parks is pleased to honor the following groups and individuals at the 2012 Parks Annual Meeting for thier dedication and  work in Chicago’s parks and preserves.

Individual Award – James Nelson for his leadership and commitment to improve the maintenance, security and programs in Bronzeville parks including Mandrake, Sumac and Taylor Parks. 

Corporate Award – The Care of Trees for their volunteer partnership with Friends of the Parks to train volunteers on the proper technique for planting and maintaining park trees.

Advocacy Award – Friends of the Bloomingdale Trail for their years of advocacy to convert a 3-mile long abandoned railroad into a bike/pedestrian/linear park and for new entry parks along the trail.

Community Award – Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities for their successful healthy living program advocating for healthy foods in park vending machines, Jr. Bike Ambassadors Club and promotion of walking access to parks and schools

Park Advisory Council Award – Elm Park Advisory Council for insuring that Elm Park is not taken for a parking lot.   Through special events and volunteer plantings  Elm Park became the heart center of a Hyde Park neighborhood. 

Legislative Award – Alderman Leslie Hairston for protecting parks from encroachments, improving the 63^rd Street Beach and promoting citizen participation in park decisions.

Legislative Award – Alderman Patrick O’Conner for increasing the amount of park space in the 40^th Ward.  Over 20 acres of land were acquired from the Rose hill Cemetery for a park along with parcels and a plan for new parks in the Bowmanville neighborhood. 

Leon M. Despres Lifetime Commitment to Parks Award – Jim MacDonald for his lifetime work as a passionate and hardworking environmentalist.  Jim has worked for decades as a steward for Gompers Park turning a natural area into a healthy ecosystem.

Friends of the Parks 37th Annual Meeting & Luncheon

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Noon

Chicago Cultural Center – 77 E. Randolph, Preston Bradley Hall

• $40 for FOTP Members
• $45 for Non-Members
• $60 Ticket plus New Membership
• $100 Patron Sponsor
• $450 Table Sponsor

 Purchase your ticket online today!

Click here to read Governor’s Quinn’s press release.

For the 3rd year in a row the half day conference will be held at teh historic South Shore Cultural Center, 7059 S. South Shore Drive.  

Currently a Committee of Friends of the Parks staff and board, Chicago Park Distrct staff and Park Advisory Council members are planning the conference.

If you are interested in joining the planning committee please email Maria Dmyterko Stone, Director of Neighborhood Parks and Community Relations stonem@fotp.org

In the short time that Superintendent Michael Kelly has been in charge, progress has been made in streamlining park management and operations.  The 2012 budget reflects some new policies and priorities for reorganization and improved park services. 

Strides have been made to reduce staff in central administration by moving 60 staff members to neighborhood park locations saving, $1.5 million in central administrative costs.  The plan is to eliminate staff on the fourth floor, opening it up for possible lease or sale.  A lease or sale of Park District office space would be a significant benefit to taxpayers.  Additionally, we are pleased to see a continued focus on accountability through the hiring of an independent internal auditor reporting directly to the Board of Commissioners

The District has listened to the previous concerns of higher program fees for programs and the budget does not increase fees for children and adults in 2012.  Both the family discount for each additional child and the no fees for active military are good new initiatives. 

We congratulate the District on allocating $200,000 for 6-week free summer teen sports leagues in 35 parks.  Sports programs and sports training are critical to our youth who need healthy outlets for their energy and their social and physical development. 

The Slam Dunk Program with $2.5 million allocated for basketball court resurfacing in 100 neighborhood courts will benefit parks in many communities.    

Friends of the Parks offers the following recommendations as the District continues to seek efficiencies and savings. 

There are significant advantages of the new garbage receptacles (FGC) that the District piloted this year.  They are smaller, clearly marked for recyclables, clean, sturdy (do not blow over) and save tax dollars by having the garbage and recycled materials collected by an outside source.  One disadvantage with the current pilot program is that the cans are on the east side of the lakefront parks.  The Park District’s old, unsightly garbage cans are placed on the west side of the lakefront parks.  The initial pilot system is duplicative with two garbage pickup systems in place (CPD on west side, and FGC on east side).  FOTP would like to work with the District to develop a system that uses the new receptacle throughout the lakefront parks, without advertising, with the responsibility for garbage pickup and recycling falling on the private sector.  Such a system could save taxpayers’ dollars and redeploy the District’s garbage pickup crew to do landscape maintenance in the parks.  

We urge the Park District to aggressively apply for federal grants in areas of crime prevention, teen violence reduction, health and fitness and get healthy programs.   The grant line item has declined from a high of $9 million five years ago to $5 million.    

We are happy that concession revenue is projected to increase by 13.9% in 2013.  We believe that concessions can do better.  For several years some major concession facilities on Chicago’s lakefront remained empty, i.e. Waveland, Connors Park, the old Coast Guard building in Jackson Park.  These represent missed opportunities.   

We understand the 2012 budget includes a fund balance transfer of $17.2 million.  The funds represent surpluses from previous years, but, as you know, fund balance transfers are not sustainable.  We support the District’s plan to achieve a balanced budget by 2014 without using fund balance transfers.  

In 2013, we recommend that the budget show funding for all parks and playgrounds, not just for staffed locations.  One way of doing that would be to add a page to each staffed park budget listing the satellite parks under their jurisdiction and indicating projected expenditures for maintenance. 

We thank you for the opportunity to present our statement to the Board.

2012 Chicago Park District Budget 

Individual Award – James Nelson for his leadership and commitment to improve the maintenance, security and programs in Bronzeville parks including Mandrake, Sumac and Taylor Parks. 

Corporate Award – The Care of Trees for their volunteer partnership with Friends of the Parks to train volunteers on the proper technique for planting and maintaining park trees.

Advocacy Award – Friends of the Bloomingdale Trail for their years of advocacy to convert a 3-mile long abandoned railroad into a bike/pedestrian/linear park and for new entry parks along the trail.

Community Award – Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities for their successful healthy living program advocating for healthy foods in park vending machines, Jr. Bike Ambassadors Club and promotion of walking access to parks and schools

Park Advisory Council Award – Elm Park Advisory Council for insuring that Elm Park is not taken for a parking lot.   Through special events and volunteer plantings  Elm Park became the heart center of a Hyde Park neighborhood. 

Legislative Award – Alderman Leslie Hairston for protecting parks from encroachments, improving the 63^rd Street Beach and promoting citizen participation in park decisions.

Legislative Award – Alderman Patrick O’Conner for increasing the amount of park space in the 40^th Ward.  Over 20 acres of land were acquired from the Rose hill Cemetery for a park along with parcels and a plan for new parks in the Bowmanville neighborhood. 

Leon M. Despres Lifetime Commitment to Parks Award – Jim MacDonald for his lifetime work as a passionate and hardworking environmentalist.  Jim has worked for decades as a steward for Gompers Park turning a natural area into a healthy ecosystem.

Friends of the Parks 37th Annual Meeting and Awards Luncheon

Thursday, February 2, 2012

12:00noon

Chicago Cultural Center, Preston Bradley Hall

77 E. Randolph Street