Our parks are still here for you
UPDATED MARCH 27, 2020: At this time, in accordance with the state-wide "stay at home" order, the entire Lakefront Trail and adjacent parks, the Chicago Riverwalk, and the 606 Trail have been closed until further notice. Contact sports like basketball and football are also prohibited. All Chicago Park District fieldhouses and playgrounds remain closed, and all programming suspended. The Chicago Parks Foundation encourages you to work with us and our Mayor in support of “Stay Home, Save Lives” by staying home as much as possible. Our parks will be waiting for you. Learn more here.
A response to COVID-19
We at the Chicago Parks Foundation are thinking of all our friends, colleagues, and partners near and far. We hope that this time of uncertainty will pass quickly, and we wish you and your families to stay well.
There is something you can still do - take a walk in our amazing Chicago parks!
The healing power of nature is real, and our parks are an accessible, reliable resource for you during this time. While practicing safe social distancing, the Chicago Parks Foundation encourages you to still incorporate outdoor time into your day and visit your local park for a solo walk, run, or bike ride.
Please note, the Chicago Park District is taking appropriate precautions throughout the parks. Programming may be suspended, but you can still access your park. The 153 voting locations within parks will operate under normal park hours for election day on March 17th. Learn more about Chicago Park District safety measures here. You can also check the Chicago Department of Public Health and Centers for Disease Control for the most up-to-date information and guidance.
The Chicago Parks Foundation stands side by side with our community partners and takes COVID-19 seriously. Our small but mighty team is still hard at work during this time, but the health and safety of our staff, partners, and community members are our first priority.
Our staff is taking all meetings by phone rather than in-person. As always, please feel free to contact us via email to get in touch or set up a call.
At this time, the Chicago Parks Foundation is moving forward with preparations for our summer roster of events like It's Your Park Day, Play for the Parks, and Camp Northerly. We will continue to adjust these events as needed and look forward to bringing you a full season of park happenings!
We will continue to work closely with the Chicago Park District, the City of Chicago, and the Chicago Department of Public Health as this situation evolves.
We look forward to meeting YOU in the park again when the time is right. For now, we’re in this together and we’ll continue to be here as a positive, productive partner during this time. Stay tuned as we continue to share park stories and other good news throughout the coming weeks.
Be well,
The Chicago Parks Foundation Team
UPDATE March 24, 2020: At this time, all outdoor Chicago park spaces remain open to the general public. In accordance with the state-wide “stay-at-home” order, Chicago Park District fieldhouses and playgrounds will be closed to the general public through April 7th. The Chicago Park District will continue to share COVID-19 updates here.