Jackson Park Advisory Counicil (JPAC) Website and Jackson Park Chicago homepage

Jackson Park Advisory Council Website

Managed for Jackson Park Advisory Council by Hyde Park-Kenwood Community Conference. JPAC webmaster: Gary Ossewaarde, 773 947-9541. HPKCC site administrator: George Rumsey. hpkcc@aol.com. Visit hydepark.org home, parks home and quality of life hot topics.
Next council meeting ELECTIONS, Monday, March 8, 7:30 6401 S. Stony I. (Jan, Feb skipped in 2010)
Next Wooded Island Volunteer Workday 2nd and 4th Saturdays. Done for 2009.
Letter on Care of Trees Project and need for funding help for park programs.

To summer camp listings. Whole JPAC website index. To index of this homepage. Council and other meetings.
View current and proposed revised bylaws, under consideration.

To pages with latest minutes and resolutions. News.

*Earlier minutes and Newsletters are archived by Gary Ossewaarde-- going back to the founding in 1983 (with gaps in the early years). These may be viewed by appointment. 773 947-9541 or garyossewaarde@yahoo.com.

Photo Galleries:

Animal Bridge
A round and in the park: Site of Mary Rose Shaughnessy
Paved Granite Beach and Iowa Bldg. old views. Granite Beach and reconstr.
'Iowa' Building today
Lake Sh Dr and underpass work,57th-59th #1, #2, #3, 63rd. So Lkft Access projs
Lagoons and lagoon restoration
Nike C-41 base
Osaka Garden
Submarine move route and exhibit construction
Wooded Island
63rd St. Beach House and Schiff Play Fountain

In Other Sites:

In hydepark.org

Lakefront Protection Ordinance
Osaka Japanese Garden home,
Parks outside links and resources index
Wooded Island prospects, work objectives

Park Issues
Birding home
Columbian Exposition
Green (and beyond) page, with links

Outside (find more in the Green page)

Chicago Park District e-mail staff-1stname.2ndname@chicagoparkdistrict.com
Museum of Science and Industry's website
Hyde Park Historical Society website
Friends of the Parks
We encourage you to visit from TNC The Nature Conservancy the Illinois newspage, including volunteer and learning opportunities in the area: "Gatherings Online": http://www.nature.org/illinois.

In this homepage...

Short vitae, Navigator indexes (above) To Summer 09 camp programs
Next events, council MEETINGS, relevant PD meetings
Who, Where? (getting there, about the park and its attractions, park management, help keep up your park)
Field House happenings. Facilities and opportunities
Programs and specials. From the Supervisor.
Recreation by outside vendors
Biography of former JPAC President Eric Hatchett, whose advocacy largely restored the 63rd St. Bathing Pavilion.
Essay: Our busy "underutilized" park

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Next events, exhibits, Advisory Council meetings

Normally in the fieldhouse, 6401 S. Stony Island, 7:30 pm 2nd Monday except day after in October. Contact Ross Petersen, 773 486-0505 or Gary Ossewaarde (or hpkcc@aol.com) , 773 947-9541 with questions or to place your agenda item; Gary to receive the JPAC Newsletter. To Recent meeting minutes and resolutions. President Ross Petersen re: policy, natural areas, environmental issues, volunteering--773 486-0505.

Next council meeting Monday March 8 2010, 7:30 pm, 6401 S. Stony Island. ELECTIONS. No meeting January and February.
Nature Committee, Park condition, Fieldhouse Program, as shall come.

The Advisory Council has facilitated a very generous funding grant from Care of Trees, approved by the Chicago Park District Dept. of Natural Resources, for this winter to clear dead and storm-downed material and plants choking damaged oaks on Wooded Island, particularly at the south end. approval and a significant appropriation of $2,400 was voted from the Council at the Nov. 9 2009 meeting to realize this special opportunity.

Recent meeting minutes are now up in the Minutes and Resolutions page.
Note- the October meeting is always on the following Tuesday (day after 2nd Monday) due to Columbus day-fieldhouse closed.

View current and proposed (annotated) revised bylaws.
New Advisory Council Standards Proposed.

Birding tours of Wooded Island and adjacent with Doug Anderson. Saturdays at 8 am. Meet at Darrow Bridge south of the Museum Columbia Basin. 773 493-7058. Through New Years, then resume in late March.

March 27. Chicago Park District and Friends of the Parks - 2010 Park Advocacy Conference: Caring and Sharing in Chicago's Parks. Saturday, March 27, 9 am-12 pm. South Shore Cultual Center, 7059 S. South Shore Drive. Providing an opportunity for park advisory councils (PACs) to network with PACs across the city in hopes of leveraging best practices and building relationships. Chicago Park District and Friends of the Parks will be conducting interactive discussions on fundraising, navigating the park district, security issues and more! For more information and to RSVP (by March 11) call (312) 742-4762 or (324 827-2757 x17.) Free parking to RSVP'd. Flyer 2010 Park Advocacy Conference
Caring and Sharing in Chicago's Parks

Saturday, March 27, 2010
South Shore Cultural Center
9 a.m. until 12 p.m.

Free parking will be available with an RSVP. As the designated point of contact for your advisory council, I ask that you inform your fellow advisory council members of this event.
In addition to the interactive and informative discussions that will be conducted by representatives from the Chicago Park District and Friends of the Parks, there will be an opportunity for your park advisory council (PAC) to network with other PACs from across the city.

2nd and 4th Saturday Volunteer Workdays-March- Nov. Call Ross Petersen at 773 486-0505. DONE FOR 2009. 10 am-1 pm, meet at the Darrow bridge south of MSI/ Columbia Basin. Done for 2009

Rationale and purpose- see in Wooded Island habitat and prospects page. Note- an all-parties meeting was held that looks forward to a good management plan for Wooded Island. See reports there. A plan was adopted at a broad meeting of stakeholders in September.

Join Jackson Park Advisory Council and the Chicago Park District/Aramark for natural areas work. Tools and refreshments will be provided. Please dress for the weather. The second and fourth Saturday of every month until October from 10 am to 1 p.m. Now meets at the Darrow Bridge south of MSI Columbia Basin. Parking is east of the bridge, access from Lake Shore Drive at 5800 S. or from 57th Drive and go around the east side of the Museum. Ross Petersen at 773 486-0505.

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Bird tours

Doug Anderson's Saturday (8 am) bird walks have taken place for over 30 years. saturdays, 8 am mid March-New Years. And they continue, even though Doug cannot lead them. The meeting place has been the Darrow Bridge west of the Music Court lot and south of the Museum and Columbia Basin. Tours run March 26-New Years Day. (Enter by coming north on LSD and turning left at Science Drive 5800.) The tour will make a circuit from Clarence Darrow Bridge through Wooded Island (Paul H. Douglas Nature Sanctuary) or, if conditions and time permit, continues around the south end of the lagoons and through Bob-o-link Meadow and woods to point of origin. Bring a field guide and binoculars if you can. 773 493-7058.

Above is a small sample of what you will see on the tours, the fabulous, refurbished Osaka Japanese Garden.

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Who, Where?

Visit Contact Information/Membership. Visit Who We Are.

Park staff and information

Jackson Park represents a portion of Frederick Law Olmsted's original South Park, designed in 18761. The park went on to become the site of the World's Columbian Exposition in 1893. With over 600 acres of parkland, Jackson Park consists of six interrelated zones:

The Jackson Park lakefront zone
The Museum of Science and Industry zone (a leased footprint)
The Natural Area zone: Wooded Island (Paul H. Douglas Nature Sanctuary) including Osaka Japanese Garden, the Jackson Park Lagoons, and Bob-o-link Meadow
The field house/recreation zone including various blocks of playing fields and courts
The Jackson Park Golf Course and Driving Range
and La Rabida Children's Hospital (also a leased footprint).

Jackson park provides a continuum of recreational and leisure experiences. From boating to fishing, golf to soccer, field house to beach house, the range of recreational choices found at Jackson Park is unparalleled in Chicago.

Jackson Park is located on Chicago's mid South Lakefront between 5600 and 6700 between Stony Island Avenue (1600 east) and Lake Michigan. Principal arterial is South Lake Shore Drive; the cross-road is Hayes Drive at 6300 although Marquette Drive goes through the park just north of 67th. Stony Island Avenue on the west edge of the park connects to the Chicago Skyway to the south; 55th Street to the Dan Ryan expressway. Marquette at 6600 S.) Cornell Drive goes north-south through the west sid of the park between 67th and 57th Drive (the latter intersecting with the Drive).

The park is served by bus routes 6 (express to/from downtown-79th/South Shore; near-park stops: 56th-Hyde Park, Stony Island 57th to 67th, 67th to South Shore), 10 (Museums-seasonal, terminus north entrance to Museum of Science and Industry) 14 (express to/from downtown at Jeffery/67th stop), 15 (along Stony Island and 67th to Jeffery), 26 express (67th South Shore to Jeffery rush hour peak direction), 28 (Lake Park, Stony Island), X28 (express from Union Station via Lake Shore Drive and Lake Park in Hyde Park, south on Stony to 103rd), 55/X55 (to Green Line, Red Line and Midway Airport, terminus Museum of Science and Industry), 59, 63, 67, 170, 171, 173 and by Metra Electric (to downtown and the south suburbs). There are many bike trails through the park, including along the lake, but not many straight-through except Hayes and Marquette Drives, although a roundabout route over Darrow Bridge runs to the 59th St. underpass.

The park is shared with two important institutions: the Museum of Science and Industry (a Museum in the Parks) and La Rabida Children's Hospital. Our neighbors include the University of Chicago. To our immediate north is famed Promontory Point, to our south the South Shore Cultural Center. Other key structural destinations in addition to the field house at 6401 S. Stony Island are the 63rd Street Beach House with Interactive Play Fountain, the Bowling Green and clubhouse south of Science Drive/5800, the 18-hole Golf Course centered at the Partee Golf Clubhouse southwest of Hayes and Richards, and the Golf Driving Range north of Hayes Drive.

Other major features: Statue of the Republic at Hayes and Richards Drive, Wooded Island (Paul H. Douglas Nature Sanctuary and Osaka Japanese Garden), Bob-o-link Meadow, Perennial Garden at Stony/Cornell and Midway Plaisance (59th), Columbia Basin and Clarence Darrow Bridge south of Museum of Science and Industry, Landmarked 63rd St. Bathing Pavilion with Schiff interactive garden, emerging new dune habitat, drumming circle, and to the north the re-set old granite paver beach,, 57th Beach, 59th Marina, 'Iowa' building at 56th and South Shore, Jackson Park Harbor, the many soccer and other fields, the running track at Stony and 61st, and really neat bridges. .

Park Headquarters is the Field House at 6401 South Stony Island Avenue, 60637. 773 256-0903. Park Supervisor Bill Tillis.

This is in turn directed by the Chicago Park District South Region, Manager Liz Millan, represented by Area Manager Cordell Hopkins. The region offices are at Tarkington Park, with the Area Manager at Washington Park.

Parks Security 312 747-2193. Director Kevin Ryan

Park Management

Park supervisor: Bill Tillis, 773 256-0903. Director for the South Region is Liz Millan, area Cordell Hopkins

Help maintain our park : If you see something that needs fixing in the park, contact JPAC or this site. Gary Ossewaarde or Ross Petersen at 773 975-1101. Hint: always bring a camera along- but don't put yourself in danger just to get "evidence." Be specific about where you see a problem and problem details. For example, all light poles have numbers. Staff monitor the park regularly, especially with Monday walk throughs. Call to arrange to meet the assigned staff on walk through to show problems.

Park Police, including if someone is parking on the grass: 312 747-2193 (number changed?), For emergency call 911. (In general 311 for park issues will only get you shunted to the park district, but you can try to use to get a paper trail started--ask for the complaint number so you can keep calling back.)

Be sure to support CAPS community policing. The park's beat is 3rd District 331, which meets 3rd Mondays at South Shore Cultural Center, 7059 South Shore Drive.

See someone fly-dumping? Call 312 744-7672 with license number, description of vehicle, what's being dumped.

Also contact Rosalind Moore at Alderman Leslie Hairston's (5th) office 773 324-5555.

JPAC can always use volunteers on committees and projects--particularly Nature. And we welcome you at our meetings, also your photos, letters, queries, etc. Contact Ross Petersen at 773 975-1101 or about the latter two items Gary Ossewaarde, (hpkcc@aol.com may be faster), 773 947-9541.

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Happenings at the field house/kids programs, 6401 South Stony Island Avenue, 60637, 773 256-0903. For more: go to our Recreation Directory and Parks Directory, Chicago Park District website, 312 742-PLAY, or get the quarterly program flyer at park field houses. Register on line (limited spaces) or in person.

TriMasters Triathlon and kids walk/race Saturday, August ?, 7 am from 63rd St. Beach. Details 5th Ward Office, 773 324-5555.

Specials: open to all, and adults encouraged to come and observe even kid's programs.

Essay contests each January, February

Park no. for info: 773 256-0903

General: What's on for Winter 2010?

After School Park Kids. Now $80
Spring Break Camp $40
Teen Club Tuesdays 6-9- Free
Fitness Center (free Jan. 2-10 + cinchbag if reg. for Winter in that time). Various ages and subsets, ranging from free (if in the Seasonal Sports) or $5 per session to whole season -highest $45
Gymnastics Tumbling-Tuesdays, free
Piano (perm. needed)-$40 and $45
Basketball- Inner City (must be in afterschool program)free; Men's $150
Cheerleading- free
Seasonal sports- free; Soccer 3 on 3 free must be in afterschool; Volleyball free must be in afterschool

Adult conditioning programs in the new weight room!

About the Mayor Daley's Summer Track Program-look for it again in 2010.

If you are between the ages of 9 and 14 and want to have a fun and active time this summer, join Mayor Daley's Summer Track Program. Boys and Girls across Chicago are invited to participate in this free Summer program. No experience in track and field is necessary and all are invited to join a team and have fun training and running track. Through August 16, culminating in an Olympic style Track Meet featuring runners, jumpers, throwers.
Visit http://www.worldsportchicago.org to see a list of participating wards and contact details about the team nearest you. Questions? track@worldsportchicago.org or (312) 8612-4937.

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Recreational facilities and opportunities at Jackson Park

Visit Jackson Park's newly renovated Fitness Center. Purchase a $50 fitness pass today and receive unlimited visits during the quarter, Monday-Friday 9:30 am-9:30 pm. Saturday and Sunday 9:30 am-4:30 pm. Detailed schedule and prices. Per-session also available. Jackson Park Field house, 6401 S. Stony Island Ave. 773 256-0903.

Large sets of soccer and ball fields (many having schedules as they are used by schools, Youth Soccer, et al.) Has Junior Bears, other programs out of the field house.
Almost olympic sized modern running track between Stony and Cornell 61st to 62nd, with school-used football field in middle.
Tennis: lit concrete surface court c. 5900 S./ west of the Drive accessible from Science Drive (5800) south across the Music Court bridge then east. Soft surface but unlit courts in 6300 block of Stony Island north of the field house. Jackson is a Tennis Welcome Center- browse this page, tennis, re lessons, mixers, tournaments.
Jackson Park field house, 6401 Stony. Gym with popular basketball programs, some open to teens and adults but many requiring seasonal registration. Weight room and fitness center. Activity rooms. Kid and teen programs of wide range fill up fast.
63rd St. Beach house. Ancillaries in summer sometimes include windsurfing/ski jets and bike-carts rentals, concessions, Junior Lifeguard. Major beach on the mid-south lakefront. Max Schiff Interactive Play Fountain is a real treat.
57th Beach and beach house with summer concession (no auto access)
Major bike and running trails
Bowling Green, used by Lakeside Lawn Bowling Association-contact Tom Michael (708 366 8228) or (312 684-8799) and Chicago Croquet Club-contact Dan Whalen, (773 269-2745).
Jackson Park Golf Course (18) hole-(312 747-2763) access course and Partee Club House south from Hayes Drive (6300) , the Golf Driving Range (312 747-2762) north from Hayes Drive past the soccer fields. Run by Kemper (find golf courses in phone book under Chicago Park District). See also below under special facilities for more information.
Jackson Park Harbor, 59th Marina. Run by Westrec. Have Jackson Park, Southern Shore, and Museum Shores yacht clubs. (find harbors in phone book under Chicago Park District; contact this website for yacht clubs if really needed; numbers work only seasonally except individual officers).
Partnership programs: Junior Bears, Tri-Masters

Outside providers of recreation in Jackson Park

Chicago Croquet Club plays at Jackson Park lawn bowling facility, south of 58th Science Drive west of Lake Shore Drive. Contact Dan Whalen, 773 269-2745 or call 312 943-9289. .

Golf

Sno-Gophers Ski Club and Indoors/Outdoors Golf. Training and outings for high schoolers at Jackson Park. www.sno-gophers.org. Jacqueline Beard. jib7732@ameritech.net . 773 978-0493.

A new company runs the 18-hole Jackson Park Golf Course, one of the first public courses west of the Appalachians. (312 747-2763) access course and Partee Club House south from Hayes Drive (6300) , the Golf Driving Range (312 747-2762) north from Hayes Drive past the soccer fields. Run by Kemper (find golf courses in phone book under Chicago Park District).

Jackson Park Golf Course. 18-hole Course. Partee Golf Clubhouse, 63rd and S. Lake Shore Drive, 312 747-2763

Jackson Park Golf Driving Range, 63rd and S. Lake Shore Drive, 312 747-2762.

Contact also Jackson Park Golf Association, 1718-20 E. 75th St., 60649, 773 493-8820 Note- moved or closed?

Lawn Bowling

Lakeside Lawn Bowling Club. Starts in May and goes well into fall. Lessons available. Regular play weekends and some weekday afternoons/evenings. Shares schedule with Croquet. Bowling green and clubhouse are south of 58th/Science Drive west of Lake Shore Drive. Open House Sunday June 12 2005.
Contact Tom Michael, 708 366-8228.

For something completely different.... Lakeshore Lawn Bowling Club Open House. Jackson Park south of Museum of Science and Industry east lot. Exit Lake Shore Drive at 58th (Science Drive). Wear flat shoes. Tom at 708 366-8228. General bowling Tuesday nights at 7, Saturdays and Sundays at 1.

Croquet also has its own schedule at the Bowling Green.

Soccer:

Youth Soccer and adult leagues play in the large suite of fields north of Hayes Drive up to the Golf Driving Range.751 Commissioner Louise McCurry sits on JPAC's board. Concerns include maintaining good and safe traffic, parking, and pedestrian flow, good security, well-kept fields, and good relations with other park users.

Youth: Visit the local website, www.AYSO751.org. Hotline 773 324-KICK. Bring to registration birth certificate or passport, health insurance card, parent photo ID, parent volunteer enthusiasm!
1100 boys and girls aged 4 1/2 to 19 in the fastest growing aerobic team sport in the country.
AYSO: Safe, Fun, Fair:

Open registration, positive coaching, balanced teams divided by age and sex, everyone plays, good sportsmanship
$145 first child, $90 2nd (covers fees, uniforms, trophy, pictures, equipment, field fees)
Practices on Midway Plaisance after school
Games Saturday mornings in Jackson Park (north of Hayes Dr.)

AYSO Adult Amateur League. Registers and plays at Jackson Park noon Saturdays. $30

Youth Explorers- contact the 3rd District Police. Contact the Field house also for info on TriMasters youth triathlon and Big Buddies track plus, Junior Bears.

Tennis

Jackson Park is a Tennis Welcome Center. Adult Competitive Tournament Tennis Program at Jackson Park. 59th at Inlet Harbor is now Friday and Saturday mixers! By Bally's and Hyde Park Tennis with US/Midwest Tennis Association.

US Tennis Association has Tennis Welcome Centers--one is at Jackson Park field house. On line browsing and locator with contacts now available. It includes guides to lessons. There is also a toll free number, 1-866 686-3036 and e-mail. Robert Velasco. 773 991-0231.
Jackson Park, 6401 S. Stony Island Ave. 773 430-3336, field house 773 256-0903. itt@tmail.com. Two sets of courts- south of 63rd at Stony Island north of field house, at 59th south of the 59th Marina Inlet west of Lake Shore Drive.

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A busy "underutilized" park

Increasing activity in our “underused” park

If Jackson Park is underutilized, as some say, why are JPAC meetings and officers so busy facilitating, evaluating and monitoring new and ongoing programs? And more requests (some competing) for dedicated or shared spaces, times or structures will be coming. Some of these we will encourage; for others we will seek changes or in our advisory role will oppose.

Among programs and activities discussed in the current and recent issues of the Newsletter are:
· A school-led education and activity program centered on the footprint of the Haiti Pavilion at the 1893 Columbian Exposition,
· Drumming concerts east of the 63rd Bathing Pavilion parking lot, going ahead despite lack of a convenient seating facility,
· Planning for a commemorative structure recalling the Korean Pavilion at the Columbian Exposition,
· Nature Oasis programs, a Stollerathon, bike rides and races that close the Drive, a tennis tournament, and a big party on the Museum of Science and Industry lawn for the new U-505 exhibit.

This is besides a very busy 63rd Bathing Pavilion with its highly popular Schiff legacy interactive play fountain, vast numbers of adult and youth soccer players, players of tennis, basketball, baseball and softball, users of the new track, large numbers of picnickers, golfers, lawn bowling and croquet players, fishers, birders and other strollers in the natural and other parts of the park, families at the playgrounds, swimmers and sunbathers, bicyclists especially on the lakefront, boaters in our 3 harbors, school teams readying for fall sports, visitors to the Museum and La Rabida Hospital, not to mention the kids in Park District and sponsorship programs both in our overcrowded field house and out in the playing fields.

While some parts of the park are lightly used, some of our problems come from crowding. The lots along Hayes/63rd cannot handle all the cars at times and there is already as much ground given over to the auto as these parts of the park can tolerate. After all, having places people want to visit and use (including open land and nature preserve) is the highest and best use of park lands—and that’s why the city has recently given parks their own zoning designation and use-change review procedure. So stay tuned—better, involved—and do enjoy the Park.

One last word. We will do our part to push for facilities upgrades and guard against things that hurt the park or its usefulness. We ask that you exercise responsibility when in the park, whether with coals and flammables, litter, with your pets, getting proper permits for your group, or parking only in designated lots.
Gary Ossewaarde

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