Skinner Park Advisory Council - Playground Committee

Skinner Park - Playground Committee

Next Meeting!

2nd Community Playground Design Meeting

September 3 2008 6:30pm to 7:30pm

Police Academy, 1300 W. Jackson. Please use Jackson St. entrance

The Park District has updated the playground design based on the community input from the June 23 meeting. Please attend the 2nd Meeting to see the design and provide your input for the playground!

It's your tax dollars...so please come make sure that it meets your families' needs.

Please see below for a report from the first community playground design meeting.

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Please join us to improve Skinner Park's playground by making a contribution.

Want to be more active...please join the playground committee. All levels of commitment welcome... from writing emails, grants, to meeting with elected officials and businesses to advocate for funding.

The playground needs a major renovation, the spiral slide actually cracked in half late Fall, 2006.

EMAIL : info@skinnerpark.org

December 2006 - We've kicked off the Donor Wall and Buy-a-Brick Program to help raise money for the new playground!

Playground Donation Levels

Donations of all size are welcome and needed!

Buy a Brick Program

$100 - 499 : 4x8 inch Brick Sponsor

$500 - 999 : 8x8 inch Brick Patron

Playground Benefactor Donor Wall Program

$1,000 - 9,999 : Bronze

$10,000 - $24,999 : Silver

$25,000+ : Gold

Click Here for Buy-A-Brick Form

or email for more information, please

Email Us.

NEWS!

Sept 3, 2008 - 2nd Playground Design Community Meeting . 6:30pm

June 23, 2008 - Playground Design Community Meeting Highlights

Approximately, 45 people attended including Ald. Walter Burnett and Ald. Bob Fioretti. The meeting started with May Toy, President Skinner Park Advisory Council introducing Beth Tomlins, Chicago Park District. and thanking both alderman for helping to secure the TIF funding for the playground. $750,000 for the playground and $150,000 for a new water feature. At the Playground community meeting held on Jun 23 at the Chicago Police Academy, Beth Tomlns of the Chicago Park District showed 2 different designs. Both designs feature rubber surfaces, and play structures for preschool and ages 5-12, and both are ADA accessible. The first design had a more distinct separation of areas for different age groups ( preschool and ages 5- 12 ) with a play sculpture (stone worms) and arts theme. The second design featured a camping theme without separate areas for the different age groups. There were also far fewer swings in the second design with only one bay of swings. The park district is also proposing sand tables instead of a sand box. Overall, it was an almost even split between the first design and the second design with a small majority favoring the second design. More people favored a natural color scheme than a bright color scheme. Park District would look into the pathways. People didn't want to lose any swings with the new playground as it's one of the more popular features in the playground now. Also, the new playground will have gates per community request.

The new playground area will also include the engraved bricks from the fundraising held since last year. Beth Tomlins, the Park District project manager said that the bricks would be included in the playground. May Toy explained that the playground committee stopped actively fundraising for the playground this year after the TIF allocation came thru but that if anyone wanted to buy it brick, it was still available and the proceeds would be used to fund a special feature within the playground.

The estimated timeline from the Park District is to start construction in early spring of 2009 with completion in the summer of 2009.

Mar 2008 - Kathy Dickhut, Deputy Commissioner of DPD, City of Chicago, emailed May Toy that the City will provide:

$1,050,000 in TIF funds is being provided for Skinner Park improvements as follows:

$750,000 new playground

$150,000 new spray pool

$150,000 Site improvements

Dec 2007 - Jan, 2008 - The Dept of Planning and Development at the City of Chicago announced that Skinner Park will received TIF for several projects including the playground.

The timeline for the playground has been pushed back since the Park District has not issued their RFP for a design firm yet.

June 2007 - Very successful Yard Sale and Raffle. Thanks to everyone who helped! Special Thanks to Daily News Townhomes and all the businesses and residents.

May, 2007 - The new playground at Skinner Park is in the Park District's capital improvement plan for 2008. Our goal is for the playground to start construction in early spring 2008 with completion by late spring-early summer 2008.

February, 2007 - Alderman Madeline Haithcock (2nd Ward) has worked with Home Depot to secure a donation towards the purchase of new playground equipment at Skinner Park. Thank you to both Alderman Madeline Haithcock and Home Depot.

November, 2006 - Members of the Playground Committee meet with State Representative Art Turner and he has made a commitment to allocate $100,000 in State of IL funding for the redevelopment of the playground. State Senator Rickey Hendon has also made a commitment to allocate $100,000 in State of IL funding to rebuild the playground.

Thank you to State Rep Art Turner and State Senator Hendon for their support!

Thank you to both Alderman Haithcock and Alderman Burnett for their letters/calls of support to the Park District, and State Rep Turner and State Senator Hendon.

September-October, 2006

The Playground Committee attended the Chicago Park District budget hearings to present their plan and proposal for a new playground at Skinner Park.
After several rounds of community input, the Playground Committee developed the following conceptual design for the playground.

August, 2006

The Playground Committee attended the City of Chicago Budget hearings and testified before Mayor Daley about the needs of families and children in the West Loop, especially as it relates to the playground, park access, and the need for neighborhood access at Skinner School.

Conceptual Design:

Key Features:

New playground will be larger and enclosed by a fence with multiple entrances located within the park for improved safety.
Separate play areas by age groups.
Soft surface improves fall safety and sanitary conditions over the wood particles that currently exist.
Structures and swings will be installed with appropriate safety clearances.
Design will incorporate existing old-growth trees to provide shade.
Updated water feature featuring soft surfacing.
Updated sandbox area.
Open grass area for free play.

Revised: 08/08/2008