Washington Park's Deep Roots and Bright Future: A New Community Center Is Coming — and Summer Is the Perfect Time to Rediscover Your Park

By Socialhood News · Il/Chicago/Washington Park · June 21, 2026

Washington Park has always been more than just a green space — it's a living piece of Chicago history, and this summer, that legacy is feeling more alive than ever. A fresh CBS Chicago feature published just last week reminded the city of something Washington Park neighbors have always known: this park was designed from the very beginning to be a place for everyone. Designed by the legendary landscape architects Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux — the same duo behind Central Park in New York City — Washington Park was laid out in 1871 as part of Chicago's sweeping South Park vision, making it one of the most historically significant green spaces in the entire country.

And if the park's past is remarkable, its future is even more exciting. Sunshine Gospel Ministries is forging ahead with plans for a transformative three-story, $36.9 million community center on vacant lots bounded by 60th and 61st Streets, King Drive, and Calumet Avenue. The center's plans include a café with a performance stage, a gym with a roller skating rink, a recording studio, visual arts classrooms, a tech room, a demonstration kitchen, and dedicated lounges for both youth and adults — with public programs intended to be free to neighbors from day one. The project has already secured a $5 million city community development grant and a