History
Our PAC History
For nearly 90 years, the open field at 11625 S. Oakley Avenue has served as a community gathering space. Although this 8.74 acres of land was owned by the Chicago Board of Education "for the use of schools", it remained undeveloped and the community would use the open field for sports such as soccer, to fly kites, walk their dogs and even freeze the ground in the winter for ice skating. However, a few years back when there was an attempt by developers to acquire this community greenspace, the neighborhood rallied against the sale and worked with 19th Ward Alderman Matt O’Shea who successfully facilitated a land swap between the Chicago Board of Education and the Chicago Park District. The result was the creation of Park 581 in 2016.
Although there was some grading of the field when first transferred to the Chicago Park District, there has been no other investment in this park. In fact, in recent years there has been growing concern about the safety of residents who like to go for walks in the park. Because there is only a sidewalk along Oakley Ave, residents are forced to walk in the street on the other three sides, creating dangerous conditions for pedestrians. And although residents love the open space, there is growing frustration with the lack of investment in such a valuable community asset.
Grant Award
The REBUILD Illinois Bond Grant request for our Park, sponsored by Illinois 27th District State Representative Justin Slaughter, was initiated in October 2022. The Chicago Park District (CPkD) received the executed Grant Agreement from the Dept. of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) in January 2024. The full $500,000 award request was granted for our top three priority improvements: walking path, lighting, and water source. Planned completion date: October 2026.
