Parks

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.

Ice-Skating in the parks update

February 10, 2012 update:
The outdoor ice season for this winter is over. Crews will not be making any more ice and the new rink structures at Ackerman and Baker Parks will be removed next week. Unfortunately, this winter's weather just did not cooperate with outdoor ice making. We hope next winter brings us many more days when you can skate outdoors. As always, if you want to ice-skate, you can do so at the Robert Crown Community Center and Ice Complex. 

If you would like to have your dog off leash, annual memberships are available for Pooch Park and the Evanston Dog Beach.

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.

Urban_Reforestation_Donation_Form

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Park Inquiries.jpgReport broken park or playground equipment

Report garbage in park

Report tall grass in park

Report lights out in park

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

Beck – 0.2 miles

Butler – 0.5 miles

Twiggs – 0.4 miles

Lovelace – 0.5 miles

James – 0.75 miles

Harbert – 0.5 miles

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.

Tennis bang boards are located at Fitzsimons Park, Burnham Shores and Bent Park, Robert Crown Park and Mason Park.

For a list of parks with tennis courts, click here>>> and select tennis courts in the drop down box.

Basketball Court Lighting

The 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).

Sledding in James Park

Sledding and tobogganing are considered "hazardous recreational activities." Sledding and tobogganing on the James Park large center hill is prohibited by Ordinance (Evanston City Code 7-10-4). Evanston police and Evanston park rangers are instructed to issue violation tickets to those individuals trespassing on the center large hill.

Sledding on the small and intermediate hill is at the user's own risk. No tobogganing, skiing, or snowboarding is permitted. Users assume full responsibility for determining if conditions are safe for sledding. Adults are responsible for supervising children in their care.

Noah's Playground for Everyone

Noah’s Playground for Everyone is located in Lawson Park, which is at Sheridan noah parkRoad 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 whaNoahs_Playground_2010_2971.jpgt 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.