An Open Space Plan for East Garfield Park Produced by East Garfield Park Neighborhood Development Council & Openlands October 2005 Financial support for this planning effort and for implementation of initial projects was received in part from: Prince Charitable Trusts Mayer & Morris Kaplan Family Foundation The Partners wish to acknowledge cooperation and support from: Local community-based organizations including Bethany Brethren Community Center, Greater Garfield Park Chamber of Commerce, Marshall High School, and the Albany-Carroll Arts Building. Alderman Walter Burnett, Jr, Alderman Ed H. Smith, Alderman Madeline L. Haithcock and Alderman Michael D. Chandler for their support of our Open Space Plan and vacant lot gardens in East Garfield Park. Shane Repking, Adam Gibson and Mike Tomas for researching vacant property for different land use options in the neighborhood. Clifton Cooper for sharing Housing Plans from the Concerned Citizens of East Garfield Park. Dr. Christopher Reed for sharing his knowledge of recent active citizens that have positively affected the community of East Garfield Park. Garfield Area Partnership (GAP) for sharing their community plan and promoting open space with the residents they work with. MacArthur Foundation for their support for the LISC, New Community Program in East Garfield Park. Written and Compiled by: Jaime Zaplatosch, Urban Greening Division, Openlands 25 East Washington, Suite 1650, Chicago, IL, 60602 312/863-6270 www.openlands.org Table of Contents Map of East Garfield Park 04 About the Partners 05 Open Space Goals of the Partners 06 Open Space Planning Goals 07 Categories of Open Space and Goals Residential and Street Landscaping 08 Vacant Lots 09 Small and Large Parks 10 Schools and Youth Centers 11 Arts and Culture 12 Business and Industrial Areas 13 Priorities 14 Neighborhood Overview 15 History of the Parks in East Garfield Park 19 Famous Residents 23 Historic Buildings 24 Appendices 1. Local Contacts and Resources 25 2. References 27 East Garfi eld Park Neighborhood East Garfi N. Hamlin Avenue N. HAMLIN AV. W. MUSIC COURT DR. MUSICCOURT W. M . W C R C D R E A . S C H R N. RIDGEWAY AV. A D E R N. LAWNDALE AV. S. MILLARD AV. DR. WOODWARD S. N. MONTICELLO AV. N CONSERVATORY DR. CONSERVATORY Douglas . C E N T R N. CENTRAL PARK AV. A L W. ADAMS ST. ADAMS W. W. VAN BUREN ST. BUREN VAN W. P W. MONROE ST. MONROE W. A R K PW. GOVERNORS W. D R . N. DRAKE AV. Park S. ST. LOUIS AV. N. ST. LOUIS AV. N. ST. LOUIS AV. S. ST. LOUIS AV. W. WARRENDR. W. N. TRUMBULL AV. S. TRUMBULL AV. W. GLADYS AV. GLADYS W. Dwight D. Eisenhower Expressway N. HOMAN AV. N. HOMAN AV. S. CHRISTIANA AV. N. CHRISTIANA AV. W. FranklinW. Boulevard W. FIFTH AV. S. SPAULDING AV. N. SPAULDING AV. W. JACKSON BLVD. JACKSON W. W. CARROLL AV. CARROLL W. W. FULTON BLVD. FULTON W. W. WALNUTST. W. KINZIEST. W. W. WASHINGTON BLVD. WASHINGTON W. AV. MAYPOLE W. W. WARRENBLVD. W. W. MADISONST. W. N. SAWYER AV. 04 N. KEDZIE AV. W. VAN BUREN ST. BUREN VAN W. W. MONROE ST. MONROE W. W. RANDOLPHST. W. S. TROY ST. N. TROY ST. Map N. ALBANY AV. ALBANY AV. S. ALBANY AV. N. WHIPPLE ST. S. WHIPPLE ST. S. WHIPPLE ST. N. SACRAMENTO BLVD. of S. RICHMOND ST. East Garfi eld Park East Garfi N. FRANCISCO AV. S. MOZART ST. N. MOZART ST. W. WILCOX ST. WILCOX W. Grant Park W. MONROE ST. MONROE W. W. GLADYS AV. GLADYS W. N. CALIFORNIA AV. W. JACKSON BLVD. JACKSON W. W. ADAMS ST. ADAMS W. N. CALIFORNIA AV. W. MAYPOLE AV. MAYPOLE W. N. FAIRFIELD AV. N. WASHTENAW AV. N. WASHTENAW AV. N. WASHTENAW AV. Lake Michigan N. TALMAN AV. N. TALMAN AV. Navy Pier N. ROCKWELL ST. N. ROCKWELL ST. N. MAPLEWOOD AV. N. CAMPBELL AV. ST. HUBBARD W. N. CAMPBELL AV. S. ARTESAN AV. N. ARTESIAN AV. N. Western Avenue About the Partners East Garfield Park Residents Over 80 individual residents participated in the Open Space Planning process over a five month period. These residents are thanked for giving their time to improving their community. The residents will be leading our plan into action through meetings and projects. EGP residents taking part in the Plan: David Amarathithada Adam Gibson Chris Loutris Luis Rodriguez Ronald Berdell Shannon Handy Earl Marten David Rogers Sharon Bladholm Cynthia Anthony Harris Casey Mezinskas Karen Ryan Sue Blair Sharon Herron Ronnie McGhee Bettye Sherrod Doris Brown Christine Herron Gerald Mitchell Faye Sigers Deloris Carter Williams Cynthia Holman Linda Morris William Siegmond Jerry Croswell Geneva Jackson Tinelle Morris Gail Thompson Mamie Dean Velma Johnson Laurie Palmer Tisha Vaska Nat Dean Barbara Keller Edgar Parrot Ramsey Vasser Holly Deniston Marshel Keller Taylor Posey Jeannetta Wallace Richard Dobbins LaShone Kelly Tabresha Posey Carol Williams Mike Doyle Courtney Killingsworth Anddra-Nee Posey Dicye Williams Joyce Durante Danielle Killingsworth Erma Purnell Stanley Williams Whittni Evans Ernestine King Shane Repking Octavia Young Joyce Fernandes Pedro Lauarneres Harry Rhodes George Zarembe Vernon Ford Della Lewis Vanessa Richards Vonyell Foster Pamela Longstreet Lisa Roberts East Garfield Neighborhood Development Council (Council) was started in 2005 as a result of the New Communities Program’s Quality of Life plan for East Garfield Park, in conjunction with the Garfield Park Conservatory Alliance. The Council was created to provide the framework for maintaining a high level of local stakeholder participation in the process of ensuring that the Quality of Life plan is carried out. The Council is also the forum for continuing to vet community issues and concerns. The Council is comprised of seven committees formed around the focus areas cited in the Quality of Life plan: housing, education, cultural arts, community health and safety, youth, business and workforce development, and land use and open space. These committees are responsible for addressing issues and managing projects within their focus areas. The Council includes a diverse group of people, some of whom have experience serving on boards and committees and others who have never participated in this kind of work before. Leadership development, team-building, problem solving and other technical trainings are available to the Council’s general and committee membership. Openlands Openlands is a not-profit conservation organization that works to preserve and enhance open space throughout northeastern Illinois. Its urban greening program has three missions: 1) to train and work with volunteer TreeKeepers to help monitor and care for the health of the urban forest on both public and private spaces; 2) to work with and support empowerment of local residents from neighborhoods throughout the city to develop and help carry out community-based open space plans; and 3) to provide public and school-based education and outreach on the value of green infrastructure and nature in the city. 05 Open Space Goals of the Partners Many members of the Land Use and Open Space committee participated in the larger community planning process in East Garfield that is led by Garfield Park Conservatory Alliance as part of the New Communities Program. Within our committee we came up with goals that we wish to accomplish, and we have included the Quality of Life plan goals here as well. These goals sought to integrate the changing face of the community - housing, transportation, business and industrial development - with educational, cultural and social institutions and services. The Land Use and Open Space Committee has focused on four main goals that it wishes to accomplish: • Ensure that new development contains sufficient open space. • Ensure that neighborhood parks are adequately developed, maintained and programmed. • Ensure that land ownership opportunities are preserved for local residents. • Ensure that emerging development and zoning changes respond to the land use strategies. With the completion of this open space plan, the partners hope that any other plans for East Garfield Park, such as those developed by the City of Chicago, the Chicago Park District, Chicago Public Schools, private schools, community and economic development organizations and private developers, incorporate the goals and site priorities of this plan within those plans. This open space plan - a living, changing document - has and will continue to integrate its content with all of the others. 06 Open Space Planning Goals Quality open space is vital to the quality of life in any neighborhood. In a neighborhood like East Garfield Park where there are many unsightly vacant lots with much potential, as well as an influx of development, it is crucial to determine what types of goals the community has for open space. Open spaces are areas in a neighborhood where people create and celebrate life together, culture is practiced and food is grown, where people share their time and watch each other’s children. No community is whole or healthy without adequate and accessible open space and open space activities. East Garfield, though it has vacant space, has many opportunities for more accessible green, open space. Goals for local open space developed by the Land Use and Open Space Committee: • Preserve open/green spaces in the midst of land development. • Develop an open space plan in conjunction with residents and agencies. This plan should emphasize smaller neighborhood-scale parks, community gardens and other public green spaces, especially in underserved areas, in walkable distances. • Publicize the open space plan developed and promote it as a guideline for agencies and City representatives. • Promote environmental stewardship and capitalize on the “green” resources and character of the community (such as the proposed Community Food Center and Home Composting Program through the Conservatory). • Coordinate streetscape and landscape upgrades to establish a quality neighborhood image. • Develop short and long-term strategies for the re-use of the estimated 1,750 private and city- owned vacant lots in East Garfield Park to include parks or open space.