Parkways Foundation invests in Chicago’s parks to enrich communities through historic preservation, environmental initiatives, capital projects and youth/family programs.
Buckingham Fountain Restoration Campaign
Parkways current capital campaign is the Buckingham Fountain
Restoration Campaign and you can help grant the Fountains
wish! Underwrite a bench, fish, shell, lily, cattail, or seahorse.
This is your chance to invest in this beloved icon, and to be
a part of the legacy of historic preservation in Grant Park,
Chicagos front yard. Funds go towards replacing the foundation
and pump system, landscaping, restoring the sculptures, and
renovation of the fountain plaza to become accessible for all. Click here
for more information.
Youth Programs
Youth need quality programming in parks now
more than ever. Parkways funds many programs that get todays
kids off the couch and out to play! These programs include the
Inferno Mobile Recording Studio giving kids instruction on writing
and recording original works of music, poetry and more and the
AileyCamp, a six week dance program that also focuses on self
expression through poetry and building self esteem.
Greening Initiatives
Parkways Foundation funds greening initiatives throughout
the Chicago Park District. Our current campaign is funding trees
and benches at Stearns Quarry - an amazing 27 acre nature-filled
locale located in the Bridgeport Neighborhood. It is the only
park that features exposed ancient coral reefs, cascading water
features and wetlands minutes from downtown Chicago. Parkways
also supports the Community Gardens in the Parks Program as
well as funds environmentally friendly equipment.
Neighborhoods of Chicago
Parkways makes a significant impact on Chicagos neighborhoods
each year. Most recently, $700,000 was raised to fully fund
a signature playground in Washington Park. This playground is
accessible for children of all abilities and Parkways worked
closely with the neighborhood families to be sure that the design
reflected the rich history of the neighborhood. In addition,
we just completed funding for a new state of the art soccer
field in McKinley Park on the West Side of Chicago . We anticipate
that this soccer field will become a destination for families
in the neighborhood and beyond.
Historic Preservation
An aspect of Parkways Foundation’s mission is historic preservation. In working directly with the Chicago Park District Historian, Parkways has sponsored a variety of projects including a free, self guided downloadable audio tour of Humboldt Park, interviewing attendees of the 1933-34 World’s Fair in Chicago, and fundraising for the digitizing of the Chicago Park District Archives. Click here to access Chicago Park District History.