Neighbors gathered at the Douglass Park Cultural and Community Center on Jan. 14 for the second meeting of the Douglass Park participatory budgeting steering committee, a public event where community members help decide how park funds are spent.
This community-led meeting focused on developing ideas and rules for a local process, with participants working primarily in small groups. Following the first meeting in 2025, residents of North Lawndale and Little Village were once again invited to weigh in on how 30% of Riot Fest’s permit fees, earmarked for park improvements, should be allocated through the participatory budgeting process.
Located in the North Lawndale community and parts of Pilsen neighborhood, the historic Douglass Park totals 162 acres. Its assets include a fieldhouse, two gymnasiums, an auditorium, a computer lab, a fitness center, a kitchen, a grand ballroom and meeting rooms.
The neighborhood meeting was designed to be community-led, with participants working in small groups to develop ideas and rules. Elected officials, including Alderman Monique Scott and County Commissioner Michael Scott, were in attendance. Chicago Park District’s Chief of Staff Michael Merchant stated that $241,000 has been allocated to support the process.
The event was structured to encourage active community participation. Attendees were divided into tables with facilitators, each focused on a specific topic. One table, “Feet to the Street,” focused on outreach strategies, identifying who needs to be reached and how volunteers can help. Another table concentrated on generating ideas for how to use the planning budget, while a third table discussed the project timeline.
“This is still a wide-open process. It’s open for you all to decide how you want to move forward. It’s an opportunity to come together and have conversations. We want you to know that, as part of this, we’ve also been working on addressing some additional concerns here at Douglass Park. We’ve been listening,” Merchant said.
The Field House is set for a major restoration, including updates to the lower-level bathrooms, with a total budget of $5.7 million – $1 million from a state grant and $4.7 million from tax increment financing. The Park District Board authorized a design contract with Arda Design in September 2025, and the project is currently in schematic design, with a community engagement meeting planned for early 2026. In 2026, the gymnasium floor will be refinished and the ceiling repainted, with the project scoped and assigned to capital construction
Merchant acknowledged community concerns about safety in the park and mentioned that consultants are being engaged to develop a security plan.
“Many of you have participated as stakeholders in some of the groups to discuss your concerns and how we should move forward. We’ve had crews go out to trim around the trees and improve those areas. We tried to take immediate action,” Merchant said.
Major 2024 projects already completed included a water main replacement, roof and copper tower rehabilitation, and a new liner for the outdoor pool. Site improvements will include upgraded outdoor lighting, replacing outdated poles with LED fixtures, and updates to the Field House parking lot, coordinated with the city to improve city-owned infrastructure. Materials for the lighting and site work are currently being ordered, with installation anticipated in summer 2026.
“We’re going to be replacing the lighting and adding new lights in the park and parking lot around the yard. Those are just some of the things we’re planning to do,” Merchant said.
Tree trimming and cleanup efforts are underway and will continue through winter, alongside storm damage repairs and Christmas tree recycling events.
C. Lucio, executive assistant for Participatory Budgeting, discussed how they will begin drafting basic plans for managing the park, which will involve broader community engagement.
“Many of us came in with strong feelings, valid concerns and lived experiences that truly matter. Today, we’re using a structured process to ensure every voice can be heard. This also honors what the group requested in our last meeting, having the community make decisions about the goals for this process, reaching out to the broader community and deciding who can participate and where,” Lucio said.
