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: Published June 8, 2019

The project to create a comprehensive development plan for the McKinley Park neighborhood received a nod from local publication Gazette Chicago in a recent article from reporter Rick Romano. In the article, leaders of the McKinley Park Development Council, which is sponsoring the plan from the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP), spoke of the need for collaboration to help provide direction for the neighborhood.

The plan's full development is currently underway following the recent release of the Existing Conditions Report for the McKinley Park neighborhood. The final plan is expected to be completed in late 2020 after more community feedback and planning informs the final result.

Andrés Lemus-Spont, Tony Adams and Nikita Wu discuss McKinley Park neighborhood development ideas at one of the interactive exhibit tables during the CMAP Neighborhood Plan Workshop on Wednesday, May 15, at the National Latino Education Institute.

: Published May 16, 2019

The McKinley Park Neighborhood Plan is now online! Click here to read the plan.The neighborhood plan project for McKinley Park took a big step forward on Wednesday, May 15, at the CMAP Neighborhood Plan Workshop held at the National Latino Education Institute. The release of the eagerly awaited Existing Conditions Report paired with an interactive workshop to again solicit feedback and ideas from the community to inform the full and final plan, slated for release in late 2019.

Ricardo Lopez, project lead and facilitator from the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP), led the presentation and explained how the Existing Conditions Report includes "key takeaways" from the past 15 months of work on the project, much based on direct community outreach and research. "It's how you envision McKinley Park in the next five to 10 years," he said.

Demolition of the derelict smokestack of McKinley Park's boiler building is one of many park improvements now underway or in planning.

: Published May 15, 2019

Hard work is underway at McKinley Park as Chicago Park District staff and the volunteers of the McKinley Park Advisory Council both prep for a new season of events and attend to many formerly neglected areas of the park's operations and facilities. The council meeting on Monday, May 13, brought out council officers, neighbors and new McKinley Park Supervisor Briana Soria for an update on projects and planning for the summer season.

The McKinley Park Farmers Market is officially on, with the minimum number of vendors signed up for the season, said prospective market manager Stef Funk. The first Farmers Market is set for Sunday, June 2, at the William McKinley memorial in the northwest corner of the park. It will run 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Sunday through September 2019.

Attendees at the April 1 McKinley Dog Park Advisory Council meeting include, from left in back row, Co-President Angie Robertson, a new member, Treasurer Min Huang and Secretary Adriana Perez-Kenning; and in the front row, active supporter Carolina Trudell, Co-President Carina Trudell and Events Chair Katrina Abarca.

: Published April 9, 2019

The dog park in McKinley Park is on track for construction in 2019, albeit at a later start date than originally planned, a detail shared at the quarterly meeting of the McKinley Dog Park Advisory Council held on April 1 at One City Tap. The 2019 plans discussed at the meeting dovetail with other changes for the council, now that they will be shepherding a permanent dog-friendly area in the southwest corner of the park adjacent to the swimming pool.

"Although the push back of dates was disappointing, we feel like the park district is being transparent about the process," said council Co-President Angie Robertson. "I promise to stay on top of the issue."

A graphic from the South Branch Framework Plan shows the "dis-connectivity" between the McKinley Park and Bridgeport sides of Bubbly Creek.

: Published March 1, 2019

The foetid waters of Bubbly Creek on the eastern edge of the McKinley Park neighborhood may soon begin to receive more attention and improvements, thanks to the Framework Plan for the South Branch Parks published by the South Branch Park Advisory Council. In the plan, which spans multiple parks around the headwater where Bubbly Creek meets the Chicago River, the South Branch PAC recommended a new pedestrian bridge connecting the McKinley Park and Bridgeport neighborhoods.

A pedestrian bridge was the single most mentioned idea in the plan's public workshop, addressing an issue "identified as a primary problem," the framework document stated. The current route across Bubbly Creek involves a 20-minute hike on uneven, narrow sidewalks and under dark bridges; a pedestrian bridge would also improve the area's access to the Ashland stop on the Orange Line El, the plan said.