Politics
Chicago Park District Is Giving Residents a Say in How to Spend $500K
An ADA-accessible drinking fountain, with bottle filler, is among the type of projects the Chicago Park District is expecting to fund through a pilot participatory budgeting program. (Courtesy of Chicago Park District)
Chicagoans will have a say in how the city’s Park District spends a chunk of money on park improvements in 2026, district officials announced.
The district has set aside $500,000 for a participatory budget program in which residents will have an opportunity to submit ideas and vote on the category of projects they want prioritized.
Under this pilot program, nine projects will be selected — three in each of the district’s regions (north, central and south).
In announcing the pilot, Chicago Park District General Superintendent and CEO Carlos Ramirez-Rosa said participatory budgeting “deepens community involvement, increases transparency in public spending, and strengthens resident trust in park planning and resource allocation.”
The process also “brings underrepresented groups to the table,” Ramirez-Rosa added.
Here’s how it will work:
People can submit park improvement ideas via an online portal through March 31. Look for submission forms at in-person park events as well.
Realistic projects that could be funded through this process include fieldhouse security cameras, a nature play space, and ADA-accessible drinking fountains, benches and bleachers.
The participatory budgeting program is not the place to request a new fieldhouse or some other big-ticket capital project like athletic field lighting, the district said.
Park District staff will review submissions and group feasible projects into categories. These categories will be presented to Chicagoans for a vote. The winning category (or categories) will be prioritized for funding.
Awarded projects will be announced later this year, with construction expected to begin in fall and continue into 2027.
The Park District will further explain the process during a pair of upcoming webinars. Register for Jan. 27 at 11:30 a.m. or Feb. 3 at 6 p.m.
In addition to the district-wide participatory budgeting pilot, a pair of separate steering committees are being formed for Douglass Park and Grant Park. Residents on these committees will help direct “give back” dollars generated by Riot Fest and Lollapalooza, respectively.
Contact Patty Wetli: [email protected]
