12/12/2009
Chicago Park District Jessica Maxey-Faulkner
Mayor Richard M. Daley, Alderman James Balcer (11th) and State Representative Esther Golar (6th) joined the Chicago Park District and members of the Public Building Commission today to dedicate the Taylor-Lauridsen field house and playground at 704 W. 42nd St., in the Canaryville neighborhood.
“Our city’s parks and open spaces are among Chicago’s greatest treasures and should be reserved for the enjoyment of children and their families,” said Mayor Richard M. Daley. “By investing in parks and playgrounds, we are helping to revitalize our communities. We are also helping to keep our children safe and active by giving them a public space to play in.”
The new 18,500 square-foot field house includes a full-sized gymnasium, staff offices, divisible club rooms, fitness room, gym storage, Veteran’s Memorial, new walkways around the building, central lobby and locker and shower rooms.
The field house was designed to achieve a Silver rating under the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Rating System. Some green elements of the building include a geothermal HVAC system, building automation system (BAS) controls, partial green roof, reflective roof materials, native landscaping and permeable parking lot.
“The new field house and playground at Taylor-Lauridsen Park will help provide the surrounding community with a new state-of-the-art facility and ADA accessible playground,” said Timothy J. Mitchell, Chicago Park District General Superintendent and CEO. “Our goal is to help meet the needs of each of our diverse communities by providing a responsive park system all throughout Chicago.”
In addition, the Park District recently completed the renovation of the playground and is in the midst of renovating the adjacent ball field. The newly renovated playground features a spray pool, ADA accessibility, and room for future artistic developments such as wall mosaics. The adjacent ball field renovation will include renovated lights, relocation of a new baseball field, and construction of a full-sized football field slated to open in the spring of 2010.
“This facility stands in testament to what a united community can accomplish, and we at the PBC are proud to bring facilities of this caliber to this and many other communities throughout Chicago,” said PBC Executive Director Erin Lavin Cabonargi. “We are particularly pleased to have developed a facility that affords opportunity for community and recreational programming. Further, we are pleased to have done so in a way that is both economically and environmentally sustainable.”
