Parks
Enjoy a visit to one of the City of Evanston's many lovely parks! Please note that dogs must be on leash.
The City of Evanston's Parks Division
The Parks Division provides the horticultural maintenance of all public grounds within the City. Over 300 acres of land, encompassing 97 sites, are maintained by employees assigned to this business unit. These sites include 76 parks, 50 playgrounds, nine roadside plantings, the grounds of eight public buildings, and four civic beautification plantings.The major components of horticulture maintenance are lawn care, small tree, shrub and ground cover care, perennial bed maintenance, weed control, and the pickup of more than 400 refuse containers from all park properties.
Employees assigned to this unit also assist in citywide snow removal and recreation facility maintenance when necessary. Additionally, employees maintain the equipment used for the upkeep of the grounds, and make repairs to all the different site furnishings such as playground equipment, picnic tables, park benches, and fencing. Employees also oversee landscape and irrigation system maintenance contracts.

Interested in holding a wedding in a City of Evanston park?
Click here to download a PDF with more information.
Click here to download a wedding permit application.
311
Report broken park or playground equipment
Request park program information
Request broken park or play lot fountain be repaired
Park Hours
Playgrounds and/or Tot Lots: 8am - 9pm daily;
All other parks unless otherwised designated: 6am - 11pm daily
Robert Crown Ice Rink Project Information
Information about the Lightning Detection System in Robert Crown Park and James Park
Park Path Distances
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Beck – 0.2 miles |
Butler – 0.5 miles |
Twiggs – 0.4 miles |
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Lovelace – 0.5 miles |
James – 0.75 miles |
Harbert – 0.5 miles |
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Lakefront (Lee to Clark) – 1.0 miles McCormick (Emerson to Green Bay) - .89 miles Tennis Court Information
Four tennis courts have lights and are located in parks that are open from sunrise until 10:00 p.m.: Robert Crown, Fitzsimons, Foster and Leahy. The button-activated lighting system does not function after 10:00 p.m. The lighting system is turned off when Daylight Saving Time ends each fall and begin function again the next spring. Half of the tennis nets are left in place year round, in case the weather is suitable for play. For a list of parks with tennis courts, click here>>> and select tennis courts in the drop down box. Basketball Court LightingThe only location in Evanston that has a lighted basketball court is Mason Park, which is located at the corner of Church Street and Florence Avenue (a few blocks east of Evanston Township High School). |
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Support Your Parks
Are you interested in making a donation in honor of a birthday, anniversary or graduation? Would you like to create a lasting memorial to a loved one? You can donate a tree or dedicate a bench in one of Evanston's lovely parks. Click here for for more information about supporting your parks.
Dogs in the Park
If you would like to have your dog off leash, annual memberships are available for Pooch Park and the Evanston Dog Beach.
Noah's Playground for Everyone
Noah’s Playground for Everyone is located in Lawson Park, which is at Sheridan
Road and Clinton Place, just north of the Evanston Art Center and the Grosse Point Lighthouse. Noah’s Playground for Everyone is a fully-accessible playground. It gives an opportunity to all children, no matter their physical circumstances, to engage with others and for families to have fun and grow together. The picture to the left was taken at the dedication ceremony in June 2008.
Most importantly, this playground allows all kids to be real kids and do wha
t they do best – play, learn, and become the best people they can be. Funding for this project came from private donations in memory of Noah Cutter and the City’s Capital Improvement Program. Construction was completed in 2008.
Parks, Recreation & Community Services
2100 Ridge Ave. Evanston IL 60201
Director: Doug Gaynor

P: 311 or 847.448.4311
Send us an email
Submit a service request
Upcoming Events
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May
20
City Council
7:00 PM -
May
20
Ladd Arboretum Committee
7:00 PM -
May
21
Arts Council
6:30 PM -
May
21
Preservation Commission
7:00 PM -
May
21
Board of Ethics
7:00 PM
Recent News
- Update: Evanston Missing Person Located
- Evanston Residents Called to Contribute to Historic Cancer Research Effort
- Evanston Police and Fire Foundation to Hold Inaugural Golf Outing June 17
- Evanston Ordinance Banning Hand-held Cell Phones While Driving in Third Year
- Water Shut Down for Washington St. & Florence Ave. Area for Repair Work May 17
