Chicago Park District Seeks Resident Input on Park Improvements

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The Chicago Park District is launching a participatory budget process, allowing residents to submit ideas for improvements and projects at the city's 600+ parks. Nine projects will be selected - three each in the North, Central and South regions. The public has until March 31 to provide input, and a new round of voting on the selected ideas will happen later this year.

Why it matters

Parks are vital community spaces that serve as places for recreation, nature experiences, arts and cultural programming, and social connection. The participatory process gives residents a direct say in what improvements and features they want to see at their neighborhood parks.

The details

Standard park improvements can range widely in cost, from a few hundred dollars for tree planting to tens of thousands for ball field rehabs or new drinking fountains. Once ideas are collected, the Park District will evaluate their viability and cost, then invite residents to vote on the broader project categories.

• The public input period runs through March 31, 2026.
• A new round of voting on the selected project ideas will happen later in 2026 after the initial ideas are evaluated.

What’s next

Once the public input period closes on March 31, the Chicago Park District will evaluate the ideas and determine their viability and cost. A new round of voting on the selected project categories will then take place, with the final project awards announced later in 2026.