The Chicago Park District is weighing different options for the Clarendon Park Fieldhouse and Community Center, including rehabbing the existing building or building a brand-new field house.
The Clarendon Park Fieldhouse and Community Center provides The meeting will include a presentation by the Chicago Park District, followed by an open house so the public can provide comments. A second meeting will be scheduled in late October, and the Park District expects to make a decision in November.
The Clarendon Park Fieldhouse and Community Center provides many programs and services for the Uptown community and its youth, including afterschool programs, summer camps, basketball programs, and is home to Kuumba Lynx, in addition to the Garfield Clarendon Model Railroad Club. It serves as an invaluable safe-haven for teenagers and young adults. It is essential that the building remains open for the community during a multi-phased renovation and reconstruction. Demolition of this building will put youth at risk and endanger many community services and programs.
Preservation Chicago applauds 46th Ward Alderman James Cappleman for his commitment to seeing the Clarendon Park Community Center protected from demolition and for helping to solidify the necessary renovation funds. Preservation Chicago applauds the Chicago Park District for their support and commitment to this important project. The Clarendon Park neighbors and community stakeholders played an important role and deserve special recognition for their unwavering support for this outcome with a special thanks to Katharine Boyda, Melanie Eckner, the Clarendon Park Advisory Council, Uptown United and Uptown Chicago Commission.
Preservation Chicago hopes to see this important building’s exterior restored to an appearance more similar to its original design. The distinctive tall towers fronting Clarendon Avenue and the smaller towers fronting the beach, along with the entry colonnade and the verandas and open-air rooftop loggias were beautiful and distinctive architecture elements that should never have been removed. Their reconstruction would elevate the Clarendon Park Community Center to its rightful place alongside the 63rd Street Bathing Pavilion and other important landmark lakefront buildings from this period.
The first of two community meetings will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 26, at 6:30 p.m. at the Clarendon Fieldhouse and Community Center, 4501 N. Clarendon.
Clarendon Park Fieldhouse Meeting: Wreck, Restore or Reimagine?
Hosted by Alderman Cappleman with the Chicago Park District
Wednesday, September 26
6:30pm
Clarendon Park Fieldhouse and Community Center
4501 N. Clarendon