The Marshfield Courts skate park — a community-built space in a formerly derelict municipal lot at 1644 W. 35th St., Chicago — looks to have a new lease on life following the City of Chicago’s 2025 announcement putting the property up for sale.
Skate park organizer Zack Rupp said a solution is underway that they’d fully announce soon, including purchase and shepherding of the property by Neighborspace, a local non-profit land trust doing the same for the McKinley Community Play Garden.
Organizers, skaters and fans gathered on May 3, 2026, at the Sunday Skate & Art event to celebrate a new painting installed in the courts’ outdoor display exhibit.
Skateboarding Art
Attendees enjoy the Sunday Skate & Art event on May 3, 2026, at Marshfield Courts.Artist Mike Burns described his painting “Flower,” a 2026 work of acrylic on canvas, as skateboarding-inspired, including “using colors that are skate graphic-related.”
He also pointed to the “worn” element of the painting: like a skateboard getting used, he said.
First Sundays Exhibitions
New art exhibitions will continue on the first Sunday of every month this year through October, said gallery curator Alex Quiroz, with the next Sunday Skate & Art event set for noon on Sunday, June 7.
“Almost all artists are in the skate scene,” Quiroz said.
DIY Skate Park
Venerable skateboarders take a break at the Sunday Skate & Art event on May 3, 2026.Each installation will be accompanied by a BBQ, he said, and of course hanging out and skateboarding.
Burns noted how he’s also been involved in helping to build the DIY skate park, including creating and installing one of the permanent pieces of art at its perimeter.
Skate Park Cleanup
Rupp said they had additional plans to install more skating amenities, and to re-start the community garden beds on the south end of the Marshfield Courts property.
He also noted the Skate Park Cleanup event at 10 a.m. on Sunday May 17, 2026, when the Trash People of McKinley Park will start from the skate park to clean it and then continue picking up litter nearby.
Marshfield Courts plans to have a ribbon-cutting ceremony at some point once continuation plans are complete, Rupp said.
Additional photography by Queenie Chong
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