The Trust for Public Land in Action: 2019 C E L E B R AT I N G W HAT YO U M A D E P O S S I B L E IN CHICAGO AND BEYOND
Thank you for your support and interest in The Trust for Public Land! Since 1972, The Trust for Public Land has helped connect over 8 million people with nature by protecting more than 3.6 million acres and completing more than 5,400 park and conservation projects in meaningful places. Together with partners like you, we are improving life for millions of people in millions of wonderful ways: creating climate-resilient communities, boosting health and wellness, conserving and protecting our most precious landscapes, and reconnecting people to the lands and experiences that bind us together. In towns and cities across the country, people are exercising, playing, and connecting with nature
and with each other in parks, trails, gardens, and playgrounds. And here at home in Chicago, people are walking and biking on The 606, enjoying escapes to the stunning Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge, and connecting with others at Ping Tom Park, Haas Park, Mary Bartelme Park, Senka Park, and more. We are so proud of everything we have accomplished in our community these past 20 years, especially since nearly 98 percent of Chicagoans now live within a 10-minute walk of a park. While this work is inspiring, it is just the beginning. In the following pages, you will learn about our past projects and how together with your support we can continue to make Chicago an even greater place to live.
ADAM ALEXANDER
Milwaukee Avenue Bridge
The 606, Chicago
The 606 O U R S I G N AT U R E U R B A N PA R K I N C H I C A G O YULI ZHAO
The 606 is a 2.7-mile trail that connects four parks and the diverse neighborhoods of Bucktown, Humboldt Park, Logan Square, and Wicker Park. The 606 is within a 10-minute walk of 80,000 Chicagoans’ homes, and more than 1.1 million trips were taken along the linear park in 2018. The Trust for Public Land continues to serve as a private partner, advocate, and steward of The 606, supporting public events and programming, including “For The Love of Stars” monthly astronomy nights, trick-or-treating on Halloween, a winter “Tavern Talks” educational series, and much more. Through programs that inform, entertain, and connect people together, The 606 continues to engage and strengthen Chicago communities.
New MOnuments for new cities The 606 at Humboldt Boulevard THE TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND
ARTS AND PROGRAMMING ON THE 606 In order to deepen a sense of place and inspire community pride, The Trust for Public Land partners with local artists and community groups to implement art installations and other forms of creative placemaking along The 606. Last year The Trust for Public Land was a partner in the New Monuments for New Cities exhibition, led by The High Line Network, a consortium based in New York City. Beginning in May 2019, we featured the work of 25 artists from Chicago, Austin, Houston, New York City, and Toronto who responded to the prompt, “Who or what deserves a monument?”
the 606
Chicago, IL
In addition to the trail-wide exhibition, there was programming at five partnering cultural organizations.
Parks and affordable housing The Trust for Public Land is committed to our mission of ensuring that everyone has access to a quality close-to-home park and all of the social, health, and climate benefits nature provides. However, we also understand that parks are a valuable amenity that improve the livability of a neighborhood, which can lead to increased property values. Therefore we wish to ensure that these important community investments don’t lead to the displacement of long-term residents. At the west end of The 606, The Trust for Public Land is partnering with the City of Chicago to envision a 150-unit affordable housing development built around a signature park. Together with government and nonprofit partners, The Trust for Public Land will work with neighborhood stakeholders and seek to ensure an integrated community vision for the site. Once complete, this investment will help more residents afford to remain in their neighborhood and enjoy both The 606 and their new park long-term.
Our ultimate goal: establish a new model for park development that directly addresses the challenges associated with gentrification.
“The 606 is a wonderful slice through the city. You’re up above the city, seeing a part of Chicago that tourists don’t normally see from a vantage point they don’t normally have. When you walk along the trail, you really get a sense of what real Chicago is.” - Jim Peters, Chicagoan
ADAM ALEXANDER
The 606
Chicago, IL
Palmisano Park Successful parks are well-loved and frequently used. EDWARD YU, THE NORTH FACE
The Trust for Public Land looks for ways to enhance park amenities to encourage more visits. Thanks to a generous gift from The North Face, we installed three boulders in Chicago’s Palmisano Park with a public opening on September 21, 2019! The North Face is dedicated to building public climbing walls in underserved communities and making the sport more accessible to all. To support their goal, atheletes sponsored by The North Face led a workshop at an indoor gym for young people from the nearby Valentine Boys & Girls Club. Sending in Color, a local group that aims to introduce climbing to people of diverse backgrounds, supported the event as well. After learning about rock formations that aid climbers, the youth worked collaboratively to create clay
models of their ideal boulder. ID Sculptures used those models to design the life-sized boulders that were installed at Palmisano Park.
Student with Climbing wall model Walls are Meant for Climbing workshop
EDWARD YU, THE NORTH FACE
EDWARD YU, THE NORTH FACE
climbing wall opening Palmisano Park, Chicago
climbing wall opening Palmisano Park, Chicago
Douglass 18 NORTH LAWNDALE, CHICAGO
We are engaging 24th Ward Alderman Michael Scott, the Chicago Park District, and the North Lawndale community to bring new and innovative amenities to the neighborhood and its centerpiece—the 173-acre Douglas Park. In addition to Douglas Park improvements, we joined the Douglass 18 golf transformation project and are discussing plans to bring new life to an abandoned elevated rail line, vacant lots,
HAMAN CROSS
The life expectancy of a child born today in Chicago’s North Lawndale is 13 years shorter than one born in the Gold Coast neighborhood. We believe that creating safe and high-quality parks where people can connect to the outdoors and each other is a vital part of the solution to address inequality in Chicago.
Douglass 18 youth artists North Lawndale, Chicago
and under-utilized schoolyards. We anticipate this work will inform a broader strategy of park creation and revitalization in neighborhoods such as Englewood, Washington Park, and East and West Garfield Park.
JOSH HORTON
In June, 80 employees and family members from Baird & Warner volunteered at Douglas Park. Trust for Public Land Chicago Advisory Board Chair Steve Baird and his team spread three truckloads of mulch on the park’s playground and filled fifty 50-gallon bags with weeds.
We are grateful for their generosity and our partnership with Baird & Warner!
Haman Cross III A R T I S T, A C T I V I S T, T E A C H E R & PA R K S A D V O C AT E
RAQUEL DAILEY
illustrations, paintings, and sculptures. Today he describes himself as an “undercover teacher;” his experience leading countless after-school and summer programs enables him to engage young people with art and activism while sneaking in skills-building exercises too.
Haman Cross III creates art in unlikely places. His current canvas: a run-down, barely used miniature golf course. His studio: Douglas Park, the historic Chicago park where that eyesore sits. Haman is leading an eclectic group of partners including local artists, architects, scientists, a government official, a neighborhood advisory council, The Lincoln Park Zoo, national outdoor retailer L.L. Bean, and The Trust for Public Land to transform the golf course into a fun, creative, conservation-minded park amenity. While the park is named for Stephen Douglas, a former U.S. Senator from Illinois, Haman and his group chose to name their new golf course Douglass 18 in honor of Frederick Douglass, a former slave and eloquent statesmen. Each hole will have a youthdesigned, hand-crafted obstacle inspired by some of the 250 bird species that have called the park home. Golfers will learn about the birds and their habitats while they try to sink their putts. Haman moved from his native Detroit to Chicago when he realized the only careers for artists back home were in the car industry. He spent years creating and exhibiting his own
Known as a “living legend” in his North Lawndale community, Haman’s art and natural ease in working with teens has garnered attention and praise from Alderman Michael Scott, the Chicago Parks District, and the community as a whole. Despite the accolades, Haman’s humility shows when he reflects on what makes him most proud—the fact that his young students now “see themselves as artists.” Already planning to insert more art in other forgotten places, Haman hopes to keep the momentum going. “We want this to be the first— not the only—community project these young people get involved with.”
Why do parks matter? “They are an escape from the city. Look around. Listen. Does it feel like you are in the middle of a huge city right now? There is no drama here. Being in a park is a way to relax and experience nature right in our front yard.”
Why create art in parks? “You get to create something that will last and help the community at the same time.”
Twenty years of successful Twenty years of successful Chicago-area projects
Chicago-area projects
WISCONSIN
HACKMATACK KINNIKNICK CREEK
WAUKEGAN OPEN SPACE IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY G L E NV I E W FITNESS ZONE
L AKE M I CHI G A N GOMPERS PARK GREENWAY
HAAS PARK MARGARET DONAHUE PARK THE 606 A. MONTGOMERY WARD PARK MARY BARTELME PARK PING TOM PARK JARDINCITO CLYDE PARK SENKA PARK BETSY ROSS SCHOOL WEST LAWN PARK
HOBART MARSH
ILLINOIS PLUM ISLAND
I N DI A N A
M I CHI G AN
Park highlights across Chicago Mary Bartelme Park Before the building boom that has taken place in the West Loop neighborhood of Chicago, the City identified the need for parks and open space. In 2007, The Trust for Public Land acquired a property and held it until it could become part of this 2.6-acre neighborhood park—unusually large for a park in a dense residential neighborhood. It includes a fountain plaza, a children’s playground, a large lawn, and an enclosed dog park.
Ping tom memorial park Chinatown, Chicago
DARCY KIEFEL
A. Montgomery Ward park River North, Chicago
AARON KOCH
A. Montgomery Ward Park In 2000, The Trust for Public Land purchased a 1.85-acre lot on the east bank of the Chicago River. The vacant site, zoned for a 45-story high-rise, instead was converted into a neighborhood park. Located in the River North neighborhood, the park stretches along the north branch of the Chicago River and emphasizes the river as the site’s main asset by incorporating a river walk promenade with benches and trees that offer spectacular views of the water and skyline. The park also has an adjacent dog-friendly area, a large playground, and two works of art.
AARON KOCH
Ping Tom Memorial Park Nearly 40 years after Chinatown’s only public park was demolished to make way for the Dan Ryan Expressway, the South Side neighborhood celebrated the dedication of a new 5-acre jewel on the Chicago River in 1999—Ping Tom Memorial Park. The current park meets the needs of the Chinatown community with soccer and ball fields, a field house, a boathouse, and a swimming pool. Leading negotiations to secure the land, The Trust for Public Land brought the railroad to the bargaining table and secured grant funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for the initial environmental assessment work.
Margaret Donahue Park Margaret Donahue Park is a half-acre park which opened in the Lakeview neighborhood in 2015. The Trust for Public Land, in partnership with the Chicago Cubs, the City of Chicago, and the Chicago Park District, designed and constructed the new park, which includes a playground, rubberized surfacing, a spray feature, pathway improvements, lighting, seating, and landscaping.
Margaret Donahue park Lakeview, Chicago
Delivering our land-for-people mission across the country Our vision is an America where every community can connect with nature. To that end, we are working to ensure that everyone in urban America has access to a quality park or open space within a 10-minute walk of their home. We know great parks transform communities, mitigate the effects of climate change, and improve health, happiness, and well-being. In addition, we believe everyone deserves outdoor recreational opportunities. We protect the lands that serve as America’s outdoor playgrounds and places of inspiration. That’s why—from close-tohome landscapes to natural treasures that some people might only visit once in a lifetime—we’ve protected land in all 50 states. Over the next ten years, our goal is to mobilize the creation of 10,000 new parks, trails, and green schoolyards within walking distance of home for 30 million more people in America.
RECENT ACCOMPLISHMENTS F R O M A C R O S S T H E C O U N T R Y: • Pacific Crest Trail: In California, we conserved 10,300 acres along Northern California’s Trinity Divide, protecting 17 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail. • Story Mill Community Park: In Montana, we recently opened Story Mill Community Park, a 60-acre, $16.1 million park. The signature park features an adventure playground, picnic pavilions, a scenic overlook, an amphitheater, gardens, a natural area, trails, and more. • Bethel Community Forest: In Maine, we purchased 980 acres of forestland to create the new Bethel Community Forest. Our success will expand and
RACHID DAHNOUN
diversify local recreational opportunities and unlock access to an additional 2,500 acres of public land. • Legacy Trail: In Florida, we acquired 86 acres of a former CSX rail line to enable a 6.5-mile extension of the Legacy Trail in Sarasota County, which follows our successful effort to secure funding through a ballot referendum last November.
Our work results in more prosperous, inclusive, and livable communities for all. pacific crest trail California
Chicago Advisory Board We are so grateful for our amazing volunteer leaders! Stephen W. Baird, Chair James E. Mann, Vice Chair Paul Brourman Solomon Barnett Kyle Barnett Jonathan Berger Lynne F. Dinzole Frances R. Grossman
Kenneth Kaufman Deirdre B. Koldyke Jeffrey T. McClelland Adrienne Meisel Marion S. Searle Britt Whitfield Elizabeth Yntema
ADAM ALEXANDER
the 606
Chicago, IL
TPL STAFF
THE TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND’S CHICAGO TEAM (pictured left to right)
• Wil Ruggiero, Administrative Assistant • Mary Chranko, Director of Corporate Partnerships • Molly O’Sullivan, Senior Philanthropy Coordinator • Caroline O’Boyle, Director of Programs and Partnerships • Amy Kunz, Associate Director of Philanthropy • Sarah Horvath, Senior Analyst, Prospect Development • Rachel Baird, Midwest Institutional Giving Manager • Aaron Koch, Chicago Area Director
ADAM ALEXANDER
Thank you
for supporting our land-for-people mission in Chicago and beyond. We couldn’t do it without you.
I N T R O D U C I N G O U R N E X T G E N E R AT I O N B O A R D Next Gen Members: Christian Avila · Camille Canales · Eleni Christou Eric Dodd · Natalie Laczek · Jill Foss Meuzelaar Jesmarie Johnson · Jenni Perko · Emily Robinson Jocelyn Rodriguez · Jennifer Shaffer · Griffin Smith
In 2019, Chicago welcomed its inaugural Next Generation Board, a group of young professionals tasked with raising awareness about The Trust for Public Land’s history in the region and increasing support for our current and future work.
Join us. The Trust for Public Land creates parks and protects land for people, ensuring healthy, livable communities for generations to come.
tpl.org
Aaron Koch Chicago Area Director 312.564.8175 | aaron.koch@tpl.org Amy Kunz Associate Director of Philanthropy 312.564.8178 | amy.kunz@tpl.org 120 S. LaSalle Street, Suite 2000 Chicago, IL 60603
COVER: TOP LEFT, WILL RICE; TOP RIGHT, RON GORDAN; MIDDLE LEFT, BILL RICE; MIDDLE RIGHT, EDWARD YU, THE NORTH FACE; BOTTOM LEFT, ADAM ALEXANDER.