Story by Leo Moskal

As Welles Park in the Lincoln Square neighborhood creeps towards its 100-year anniversary, a group of local residents want to restructure the park’s playground.

The Friends of Welles Park Play Lot is raising money for the rejuvenation project and hopes to have the necessary funds by the end of the year. The group, formed in 2006, hopes to raise an additional $330,000, combining it with $470, 000 from the Chicago Park District.

The playground, created in the 1980s, is lined with wood chips and has to be closed down after rainy days and the equipment continues to rust. The new look will be comprised of a rubberized play surface, age- appropriate equipment, new fencing, and new landscaping and benches. The new lot will be located on Sunnyside and Western, just west of the fieldhouse.

“It’s getting to the point where the play lot isn’t that safe,” says Susan Ryan, a photojournalist who lives in Lincoln Square with her husband and two children who offered $99 portrait sessions last month for the play lot fund. “I want to be able to take my kids to the park and not have to worry about them getting hurt on the outdated equipment. I also think it just looks kind of crappy.”

The play lot organization has partnered with the Chicago Park District, Welles Park Advisory Council, Ald. Gene Schulter (47th) and Ravenswood Bank

Emmet Manning has lived in the area his whole life and goes to Welles Park to play football on Sundays. Although Manning has no children, he recognizes the play lot’s inadequacies. “I used to play there as a kid, and it looks pretty old. I could see how parents think it’s unsafe because everything is rusted,” he says.

Ald. Schulter says, “We hope the play lot will be fully redone by next summer. The Friends of Welles Park Play Lot has been very consistent in their efforts, and I think they will be rewarded.”

Those interested in contributing have the option of buying bricks with their names inscribed on them. The bricks cost from $120 to $1,000 depending on the size. For more information contact, Friends of Welles Park Play Lot.