Trust for Public Land in Chicago - 2021

The Trust for Public Land in Chicago T HERE IS SO MUCH TO BE PROUD OF

in 2021

A ND MORE TO LOOK FORWA RD TO IN T HE Y E A R A HE A D

A LETTER FROM CHICAGO ADVISORY BOARD CO-CHAIRS DARCY KIEFEL

Ping Tom Park Chicago, IL

As a Trust for Public Land supporter, you are contributing to the healthy, equitable, resilient communities. Like you, we believe that green spaces are precious and that everyone deserves access to nature.

We recently chose to focus our efforts on communities on Chicago’s west and south sides. Like many in the U.S., these communities have been hit hard by COVID-19, but the virus exacerbated problems that already existed there— unemployment, population loss, no access to fresh, healthy foods, cycles of violence, and a lack of infrastructure and economic investment. Our community partners, however, are not deterred.

They have detailed plans to approach these problems. One solution is to transform vacant lots and enhance existing green spaces.

Active, beautiful green spaces offer a peaceful place for neighbors and families to gather and add measurable value to the community,

attracting much-needed investment and development the residents have long desired and deserved. Our partners also know how to ensure that investment happens with their involvement, leadership, and consent.

The Trust for Public Land is committed to helping local leaders by advancing equity, health, and climate resilience through nature in every community we serve. Since 1972, we have created more than 5,000 parks and green spaces, safeguarded more than 3.7 million acres, put a park within a 10-minute walk of home for more than 9 million people, and generated more than $85 billion in public funding for parks, trails, and open spaces.

Read on to learn how we are doing this in Chicago with an ambitious plan to double the tree canopy of the North Lawndale community, re-design a beloved historic public garden, and support the creation of an elevated trail that will connect urban farms while bringing jobs to Englewood residents.

Thank you for creating happier, healthier neighborhoods where all people can thrive!

Kyle Barnett and Solomon Barnett, Chicago Advisory Board Co-chairs

A TREEMENDOUS FUTURE FOR NORTH LAWNDALE Research shows that urban trees reduce surface temperatures and shade buildings helping save energy; store carbon dioxide and remove pollutants from the air; intercept stormwater and help reduce flooding; and even increase property values.

North Lawndale has only 17 percent tree canopy cover, but has the potential to increase its canopy to 61 percent. This inequitable tree distribution is even starker when compared to neighboring Oak Park, which has 38 percent tree canopy cover.

To address this issue, our partners are taking decisive action.

The GROWSS Committee—a subcommittee of the North Lawndale Community Coordinating Council—recently launched a multi-year effort called “TREEmendous Lawndale” with the Morton Arboretum, the Chicago Region Tree Initiative and The Trust for Public Land. The neighborhood is vying for Village Arboretum accreditation.

Together, we are creating an arboretum strategic plan, doubling the tree canopy, and educating the community on the many benefits of trees.

The Trust for Public Land is providing our data and insight expertise to select the best sites for tree placement, partnering with the North Lawndale Employment Network to train residents for employment in tree care and creating a public outreach campaign that includes education, programming, and community tree plantings.

We have also partnered with the University of Illinois on a tree planting grant from the U.S. Forest Service. If awarded, we will plant more than 150 trees in 2022.

Residents are excited about the initiative and committed to making North Lawndale a more TREEmendous place to live.

The Trust for Public Land is a member of the North Lawndale Community Coordinating Council. NLCCC strives to increase and improve neighborhood parks and green spaces.

TERRERON COLLINS

RESTORING A BELOVED COMMUNITY SPACE ODILE COMPAGNON

Sears Sunken Garden Chicago, IL

Listed as a National Historic Landmark, the Sears Sunken Garden was once the focal point of the community and was often a popular spot for wedding and other special occasion family photos. The garden was created for Sears campus employees to walk past fountains, pools often filled with goldfish, and flowers grown year-round in the onsite greenhouses. The sunken garden was a popular retreat set apart from the noise and bustle of the surrounding busy complex.

To restore the garden to its former glory, we co-hosted a series of virtual and in-person workshops with the community and the GROWSS Committee to collect design ideas from residents. Taking the approach of “designing from memories,” participants recalled their favorite memories of the garden and discussed other gardens they admire.

Participants also offered ideas about which plants, flowers, and architectural elements they would like to see. Their ideas are being shared with Roy Diblik and Piet Oudolf, the worldrenowned designers of the Lurie Gardens in

We’re trying to reimagine the “ Sears Sunken Garden, and we want to do it with the community. If you get community buy-in, then people become a part of it, they love it, they embrace it, they spend time there and they take ownership.

”

– Reshorna Fitzpatrick, Pastor of the Historic Stone Temple Church, GROWSS Committee Chair

Millennium Park—who have offered their services to the project.

As part of our efforts, we will develop a longterm maintenance plan. Once complete, our partners will train and employ local residents to care for the garden.

Together we will restore this beloved open space and garden so that North Lawndale residents have a safe and inviting place to spend time outside.

GROW GREATER ENGLEWOOD’S ANTON SEALS, JR. Anton Seals, Jr., lead steward of Grow Greater Englewood (GGE), is a philosopher and a man of action. Deeply committed to advocating for community-designed and led projects, he believes examining the past is the only way to understand and resolve current inequitable situations.

“Some Englewood residents live nine years less than residents in the Gold Coast,” Anton explains. “If that does not speak to the stark health inequities in this city, nothing else does.

We need more spaces where families can relax, hang out, exercise, dance and bring their children to play outside—all the things that make living in a community fun.

GGE is a nonprofit organization creating sustainable food economies and green businesses to empower residents to create wellness and wealth. The Trust for Public Land is partnering with GGE to transform the Englewood Nature Trail, an abandoned elevated train line, into a greenway connecting several urban farms on Chicago’s south side.

“When doing this work, you need a partner who is a co-conspirator, who knows when to listen and when to share insights and wisdom. The Trust for Public Land connects groups like us to resources— human and financial—to execute projects in a particular way.”

The Englewood Nature Trail will add green space to the neighborhood, promote health, and build community. Adjacent to the trail, a large, formerly vacant lot was transformed into a vibrant

Community input on design and participation in construction is essential. That is why GGE created a steering committee of residents and other stakeholders to gather design ideas and strategize how to address all potential impacts of the project.

“We want to do this project differently. We want to disrupt the business-as-usual, formulaic approach to infrastructure projects. We need assurance that the maximum, not the bare minimum, of people from the zip code 60621 will be involved in planning, building, and benefiting from this.”

Anton is also helping other groups build their own trails. GGE is one of the original members of our Chicago Infrastructure Re-Use Network, a citywide working group to share lessons learned and develop strategies to ensure communities remain in control and at the center of these projects.

ERIC HOTCHKISS

“What we are doing in Englewood is right in line with what The Trust for Public Land does: promote the stewardship of natural resources and community ownership of projects,” he reflects.

community space with raised garden beds for teaching, public art, a weekly community market, movie screenings, concerts, and other cultural activities.

OUR WORK IN CHICAGO TPL STAFF, CARLOS AARON MAGAÑA

BEFORE

AFTER

RECENT ACCOMPLISHMENTS • Celebrated the opening of Douglass 18—a bird-themed mini golf course designed by local youth and artists—in Frederick and Anna Douglass Park.

• Co-hosted six Arbor Hours in North Lawndale to engage the community in the TREEmendous Lawndale initiative.

• Expanded our city-wide Chicago Infrastructure Reuse Network to eight members advancing local trail initiatives.

• Announced Chicago’s improved 2021 ParkScore® ranking: Chicago moved up from #10 to #5!

• Launched the Equitable Communities Fund, a $50 million effort to help close the park equity divide in the U.S. • Received The Trust for Public Land’s largest single gift ever from philanthropists Frank and Joann Randall to protect 384-acre of coastal property in Southern California.

LOOKING FORWARD Through our work on the Chicago River Watershed Council, The Trust for Public Land has been asked to create a decision support tool— which uses cutting-edge data and communityarticulated priorities—to pinpoint sites in the

watershed where green infrastructure and green space can have the biggest impact.

The Westside Association for Community Action’s basketball court—part of Under The Grid, a planned 15-block greenway under CTA’s Pink Line—will be a featured site of the 2021 Chicago Architecture Biennial. The Trust for Public Land is supporting 20 youth who are working on potential designs for this space.

Donate today in support of • The Chicago Neighborhood Parks Program to support efforts like the re-design of the Sears Sunken Garden ($325,000)

• Our Research & Innovation experts to fund the development of the Chicago River Watershed decision support tool ($150,000) • The Chicago Trails and Greenways Program to help build the Englewood Nature Trail and continue the work of the Chicago Infrastructure Reuse Network ($200,000) • Special corporate sponsorships are available for North Lawndale projects such as the WACA court, Under The Grid, and TREEmendous Lawndale ($300,000)

Kinnikinnick Creek

WISCONSIN

Hackmatack Grass Lake Park National Wildlife LA KE ROCKFORD MICHIGAN Preserve Coon Creek ¦ Prospect ¨ § Glenview Fitness Zone Tyler Creek Heights

The Trust for Public Land

Completed land protection or park development work

90

Other completed work Active park development work

¦ ¨ §

Other active work

See Chicago inset map

Knolls Park Addition

88

Park or protected land

¦ ¨ § 39

¦ ¨ § 80

IOWA

Plum Island

Neighborhood House Campground

¦ ¨ § 55

¦ ¨ § 74

PEORIA

¦ ¨ § 57

INDIANA

SPRINGFIELD

¦ ¨ § 72

MISSOURI

Alton Lake

¦ ¨ § 70

Chicago area detail

Gompers Park

Margaret Donahue Park

Haas Park Expansion Julia De Burgos Park The 606 Montgomery Ward Park Mary Sears Sunken Bartelme Carroll CHICAGO Garden Park ¨ § ¦ Park § ¦ ¨ Douglass 18 Clyde Park Ping Tom North Jardincito Memorial Park

Chouteau Island Mosenthein Island Willoughby Heritage Farm

¦ ¨ § 64

Future 606 Park

LAKE MICHIGAN

290

90

§ ¦ ¨ 55

Senka Park

Englewood Nature Trail

Marian Fathers

§ ¦ ¨ 94

Reeds Creek Farm Rich's Cave Cache River

Hawke Farm

KENTUCKY

Betsy Ross Campus Park

Illinois COM PLETED AND ONGOING WOR K August 20, 2021. Copyright © The Trust for Public Land. The Trust for Public Land and The Trust for Public Land logo are federally registered marks of The Trust for Public Land.

Information on this map is provided for purposes of discussion and visualization only. www.tpl.org

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Chicago Advisory Board We are so grateful for our volunteer leaders Kyle Barnett, BMO Financial Group† Solomon Barnett, Investor† Stephen Baird, Baird & Warner‡ * Jonathan Berger, Alyeska Investment Group Kenneth Kaufman, Kaufman Hall James Mann, retired ‡ †

Co-Chairs

‡

Former Co-Chairs

* Also a member of the national board

NEXT GENERATION BOARD Christian Avila, EXP Camille Canales, Compass Real Estate Eleni Christou, DLA Piper Kelly Price, Wintrust Mortgage Jennifer Shaffer, Jennifer Shaffer Photography Jon Stevanovich, Illinois Department of Transportation Leah Yablonka, The Jordan Company

DARCY KIEFEL • FRONT COVER: WILL RICE, TPL STAFF, WIKIMEDIA USER TORSODOG, JASON FLOWERS, DARCY KIEFEL.

Thank you for helping improve the health, equity, and climate outcomes for communities in Chicago and beyond.

We couldn’t do this without you.

Join us Help ensure everyone has access to the outdoors. Every park we create, schoolyard we transform, trail we extend, and landscape we protect is thanks to supporters like you.

tpl.org/donate

Rachel Baird Institutional Giving Manager, Midwest 312.564.8173 | rachel.baird@tpl.org Caroline O’Boyle Chicago Program Director 312.564.8169 | caroline.oboyle@tpl.org 120 S. LaSalle Street, Suite 2000 Chicago, IL 60603