Ping Tom Memorial Park
Encyclopedia
Ping Tom Memorial Park is a 17.24 acres (7 ha) public urban park
in Chicago
's Chinatown
owned and operated by the Chicago Park District
(CPD). Located on the south bank of the Chicago River
, the park is divided into three sections by a Santa Fe
rail track
and 18th Street. Currently, only development in the area south of 18th Street has been completed. It was designed by Ernest C. Wong of Site Design Group and features a pagoda
-style pavilion, bamboo gardens and a playground
. The park is named in honor of prominent Chinatown businessman and civic leader Ping Tom
; a bronze bust
of Tom is installed near the park's pavilion.
In 1962, the construction preparations for the Dan Ryan Expressway
demolished the only two parks in the Chinatown area. Sun Yat-sen Playlot Park, a small, 1/3 acre park, was created in the mid-1970s, however, the community wanted a larger open park space. A private real estate firm formed by Ping Tom, then purchased a former 32 acres (12.9 ha) rail yard
in 1989. After construction of Chinatown Square
began on this property, the CPD purchased approximately 6 acres (24,281.2 m²) unused along the Chicago River in 1991, along with an additional 6 acres (24,281.2 m²) that extended along the river, north of 18th Street. The southern-half of the area then underwent significant development, as the retaining wall
along the river was repaired and an at-grade rail crossing
was installed at the park's western boundary. Construction then began in 1998 and concluded in fall 1999 at a total cost of $5 million. The park was officially opened on October 2, 1999.
In 2002, the Chicago Park District acquired 5 acres (20,234.3 m²) additional immediately east of the park's undeveloped northern half. The CPD has been planning a second development-stage of the park's nearly 11 acres (44,515.5 m²) undeveloped north of 18th Street. The plan calls for the development of the area's shoreline and access points, as well as the construction of a cultural arts and recreational facility and a boathouse
. The project is estimated to cost $38 million. In September 2009, a $10 million budget was approved to start development on the 6 acres (24,281.2 m²) area along the Chicago River.
In 1962, construction preparations for the Dan Ryan Expressway
necessitated the demolition of Hardin Square and Stanford Parks, the only two public parks that serviced the Chinatown community. In the mid-1970s, a small, 1/3 acre park was developed on a strip of land between 26th Street and the Stevenson Expressway
; the Chicago Park District
purchased the park in 1977 and named it Sun Yat-sen Playlot Park. However, in a 1992 study, 75 percent of Chinatown's community leaders and 49 percent of business leaders felt that "the lack of open space in the Chinatown area is one of the most serious problems faclng the community", and both groups ranked it first among 15 community issues, including crime, education, housing and employment. Community efforts to construct a larger park were impeded both a lack of funds and the absence of any suitable site.
After fighting for decades for the construction of a new park in Chinatown, civic leader Ping Tom
formed the Chinese American Development Corporation (CADC), a private real estate firm, in 1984. Five years later, the firm purchased a former 32 acres (129,499.5 m²) Santa Fe
rail yard
and began construction on Chinatown Square
, a $100 million residential and commercial development project. However, 6 acres (24,281.2 m²) along the Chicago River, was left untouched. The Chinatown community then formed the Chinatown Riverside Park Advisory Council to work with the Chicago Park District to assess the possibility of developing the remaining area into a public park. With the support of Park District Commissioner Raymond Lee, the Park District approved the proposal to purchase the land, along with an additional 6 acres (24,281.2 m²) that extended along the river northward to 16th Street in 1991.
Tom died of pancreatic cancer
in July 1995—three years before construction of the park began. During a Chinatown Chamber of Commerce meeting held in March 1998, the Riverside Park Advisory Council suggested renaming the park in honor of Ping Tom, the driving force behind the its creation. The request was approved on August 3, 1998, and the park was renamed Ping Tom Memorial Park. The park was dedicated and officially opened by Chicago Mayor
Richard M. Daley
during an ceremony on October 2, 1999. In 2005, the CADC and friends of the Tom family commissioned sculptor Liao Huilana to create a bronze bust
of Ping Tom. The bust was dedicated and installed at the park on October 22, 2005.
. This design was scrapped, however, because of security and vandalism concerns. Instead, a system of pathways was created to link defined spaces and mimic courtyard
s.
A pagoda
-style pavilion based on a structure that Wong had seen in Suzhou is located near the park's eastern boundary—the Chicago River. Site Design Group designed the pavilion's ornamentation and railings and obtained its traditional Chinese roof tiles from a source in Japan. The park's entrance is marked by four 20 feet (6.1 m)-tall columns, each etched with Chinese dragons and is modeled after a traditional Chinese courtyard. The park containers Chinese-influenced gardens that include gingko trees and bamboo
. A children's playground is located at the north end of the park.
Businesses in Chinatown attempted to raise $200,000 to build an 11-story bell tower
pagoda at the south end of the park. The tower was planned to be constructed of brick and stone with a hollow interior. While visitors would not have been able to climb the structure, they would have been able to walk through an entrance at its base. Chicago Sun-Times
writer Lee Bey believed the bell tower to be the park's most important feature. Despite the Taiwan
ese government making an early commitment to help finance the tower, it was never constructed.
Before construction of then-named Chinatown Riverside Park could begin on the strip of land south of 18th Street, the area required significant development. The entire western boundary of the park is a functioning Santa Fe rail track
. After unsuccessfully looking into possible underground or overground access, an at-grade rail crossing
was constructed. The US Army Corps of Engineers
was then needed to restore the badly deteriorated shoreline of the Chicago River, the park's eastern boundary. At a cost of $2 million, the project improved approximately 1000 feet (304.8 m) of the retaining wall
and lowered the shoreline considerably from its previous position 10 feet (3 m) above the river. The land was also tested for any harmful contaminates from prolonged use as a rail yard. Once development was complete, construction began in 1998 and concluded in fall 1999 at a total cost of $5 million.
. The project is estimated to cost $38 million.
In September 2009, the Chicago Park District’s Board of Commissioners entered into an agreement with the City of Chicago that approved the transfer of $10 million in tax increment financing
(TIF) funds for the development of the park's 6 acres (24,281.2 m²) area between the Chicago River and the Santa Fe rail track north of 18th Street. These funds will be used to build a retaining wall, fish habitats and sections of natural shoreline along the area's 875 ft (266.7 m) of shoreline along the Chicago River. Open lawn and landscaped areas will be developed along with a fishing station and various pathways.
Approved also was an ordinance that finances the construction of an athletic field house in Ping Tom Park on the City’s Near South Side.
Funds for the $10 million proposal will be allocated from the River South TIF district.
The field house will include a main gym, club rooms and community meeting areas for nearby Chinatown residents and other users. Specific design details are anticipated to be completed in 2011. Construction is expected
to start the following year.
On September 19, 2011, Mayor Rahm Emmanuel held a press conference in the newly opened expansion of the park to announce a plan to build a series of boat houses along the Chicago River. The riverfront expansion is located to the north of the existing park. It features a bridge that extends over the water as well as unique decorative limestone rocks from Lake Tai in China.
, the magazine echoed Lawrence's assessment, stating that "despite...urban intrusions, the six-acre park is a tranquil oasis". In a case study of the park, Landscape Forms described the contrast between the park's traditional Chinese pavilion and the prominent Canal Street railroad bridge
, as "a graphic metaphor for the layering of culture and history, tradition and change that defines the community."
Chicago historian Tim Samuelson agreed, saying that the park is an "incredible place" to see both old city and the new Chicago. After praising the park's design, the Chicago Weekly
went on to warn readers of the park's sole entrance, describing it as "maddeningly obscure".
Ping Tom Memorial Park and its designer, Site Design Group, garnered awards for the park's design. The park was named 2000's "Best Open Space" by the Friends of Downtown. Site Design Group was awarded the 2001 Richard H. Driehaus
Foundation Award for Architectural Excellence, as well as a 2000 Honor Award by the American Society of Landscape Architects
.
race tournament along the Chicago River while music, food and entertainment is provided for spectators. The proceeds raised from the event are used to support and promote local literacy, cultural and diversity programs. The park also acts as the finish line to the Chicago River Flatwater Classic, an annual 7.25 miles (11.7 km) canoe and kayak race.
In 2004, the Chinatown Chamber of Commerce used hosted a free series of movies and concerts during their "Summer Fun in Chinatown" campaign. In late September, the Chicago-based Redmoon Theater
performed Sink. Sank. Sunk..., an outdoor play at the park. The performance was the first in an annual series of site-specific plays created to introduce audiences to undiscovered, often-overlooked Chicago locations. The performance included floating props in the Chicago River and also incorporated the park's active, surrounding trains into the act.
The season 6
finale of CBS
' reality show The Amazing Race
ended in Ping Tom Memorial Park. Contestants were instructed to make their way to the finish line in the park from a Gino's East
pizzeria; however, after contestants hailed taxi
s, most of the drivers did not know where the park was located.
Urban park
An urban park, is also known as a municipal park or a public park, public open space or municipal gardens , is a park in cities and other incorporated places to offer recreation and green space to residents of, and visitors to, the municipality...
in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
's Chinatown
Chinatown, Chicago
The Chinatown neighborhood in Chicago, Illinois, is on the South Side , centered on Cermak and Wentworth Avenues, and is an example of an American Chinatown, or ethnic-Chinese neighborhood. By the [ftp://ftp2.census.gov/census_2000/datasets/demographic_profile/Illinois/2kh17.pdf 2000 Census], has...
owned and operated by the Chicago Park District
Chicago Park District
The Chicago Park District is the oldest and largest park district in the U.S.A, with a $385 million annual budget. It has the distinction of spending the most per capita on its parks, even more than Boston in terms of park expenses per capita...
(CPD). Located on the south bank of the Chicago River
Chicago River
The Chicago River is a system of rivers and canals with a combined length of that runs through the city of the same name, including its center . Though not especially long, the river is notable for being the reason why Chicago became an important location, as the link between the Great Lakes and...
, the park is divided into three sections by a Santa Fe
Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway , often abbreviated as Santa Fe, was one of the larger railroads in the United States. The company was first chartered in February 1859...
rail track
Rail tracks
The track on a railway or railroad, also known as the permanent way, is the structure consisting of the rails, fasteners, sleepers and ballast , plus the underlying subgrade...
and 18th Street. Currently, only development in the area south of 18th Street has been completed. It was designed by Ernest C. Wong of Site Design Group and features a pagoda
Pagoda
A pagoda is the general term in the English language for a tiered tower with multiple eaves common in Nepal, India, China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam and other parts of Asia. Some pagodas are used as Taoist houses of worship. Most pagodas were built to have a religious function, most commonly Buddhist,...
-style pavilion, bamboo gardens and a playground
Playground
A playground or play area is a place with a specific design for children be able to play there. It may be indoors but is typically outdoors...
. The park is named in honor of prominent Chinatown businessman and civic leader Ping Tom
Ping Tom
Ping Tom was a Chinese American businessman and civic leader in Chicago.-Early life:Mr. Tom was the youngest of eight children. His mother, Lillian Goo, married Tom Y. Chan after her sister, Mary Goo, Tom Y. Chan's first wife, died from influenza. Mary Goo had two children: Florence and Grace...
; a bronze bust
Bust (sculpture)
A bust is a sculpted or cast representation of the upper part of the human figure, depicting a person's head and neck, as well as a variable portion of the chest and shoulders. The piece is normally supported by a plinth. These forms recreate the likeness of an individual...
of Tom is installed near the park's pavilion.
In 1962, the construction preparations for the Dan Ryan Expressway
Dan Ryan Expressway
The Dan Ryan is an expressway in the city of Chicago that runs from the Circle Interchange with I-290 near downtown Chicago through the South Side of the city. It is designated as both Interstate 94 and Interstate 90 south to 66th Street, a distance of...
demolished the only two parks in the Chinatown area. Sun Yat-sen Playlot Park, a small, 1/3 acre park, was created in the mid-1970s, however, the community wanted a larger open park space. A private real estate firm formed by Ping Tom, then purchased a former 32 acres (12.9 ha) rail yard
Rail yard
A rail yard, or railroad yard, is a complex series of railroad tracks for storing, sorting, or loading/unloading, railroad cars and/or locomotives. Railroad yards have many tracks in parallel for keeping rolling stock stored off the mainline, so that they do not obstruct the flow of traffic....
in 1989. After construction of Chinatown Square
Chinatown Square
Chinatown Square is a two-story outdoor mall located in Chinatown, Chicago, a mile from the center of Chicago just north of the main Wentworth Avenue District . Chinatown Square, on of reclaimed land from a former railroad yard, houses mostly restaurants, retail space, boutiques, banks, clinics,...
began on this property, the CPD purchased approximately 6 acres (24,281.2 m²) unused along the Chicago River in 1991, along with an additional 6 acres (24,281.2 m²) that extended along the river, north of 18th Street. The southern-half of the area then underwent significant development, as the retaining wall
Retaining wall
Retaining walls are built in order to hold back earth which would otherwise move downwards. Their purpose is to stabilize slopes and provide useful areas at different elevations, e.g...
along the river was repaired and an at-grade rail crossing
Level crossing
A level crossing occurs where a railway line is intersected by a road or path onone level, without recourse to a bridge or tunnel. It is a type of at-grade intersection. The term also applies when a light rail line with separate right-of-way or reserved track crosses a road in the same fashion...
was installed at the park's western boundary. Construction then began in 1998 and concluded in fall 1999 at a total cost of $5 million. The park was officially opened on October 2, 1999.
In 2002, the Chicago Park District acquired 5 acres (20,234.3 m²) additional immediately east of the park's undeveloped northern half. The CPD has been planning a second development-stage of the park's nearly 11 acres (44,515.5 m²) undeveloped north of 18th Street. The plan calls for the development of the area's shoreline and access points, as well as the construction of a cultural arts and recreational facility and a boathouse
Boathouse
A boathouse is a building especially designed for the storage of boats, normally smaller craft for sports or leisure use. These are typically located on open water, such as on a river. Often the boats stored are rowing boats...
. The project is estimated to cost $38 million. In September 2009, a $10 million budget was approved to start development on the 6 acres (24,281.2 m²) area along the Chicago River.
History
Dan Ryan Expressway
The Dan Ryan is an expressway in the city of Chicago that runs from the Circle Interchange with I-290 near downtown Chicago through the South Side of the city. It is designated as both Interstate 94 and Interstate 90 south to 66th Street, a distance of...
necessitated the demolition of Hardin Square and Stanford Parks, the only two public parks that serviced the Chinatown community. In the mid-1970s, a small, 1/3 acre park was developed on a strip of land between 26th Street and the Stevenson Expressway
Stevenson Expressway
The Stevenson Expressway is the major Interstate highway leading southwest out of the city of Chicago in Illinois. It is signed as Interstate 55 for the entire length....
; the Chicago Park District
Chicago Park District
The Chicago Park District is the oldest and largest park district in the U.S.A, with a $385 million annual budget. It has the distinction of spending the most per capita on its parks, even more than Boston in terms of park expenses per capita...
purchased the park in 1977 and named it Sun Yat-sen Playlot Park. However, in a 1992 study, 75 percent of Chinatown's community leaders and 49 percent of business leaders felt that "the lack of open space in the Chinatown area is one of the most serious problems faclng the community", and both groups ranked it first among 15 community issues, including crime, education, housing and employment. Community efforts to construct a larger park were impeded both a lack of funds and the absence of any suitable site.
After fighting for decades for the construction of a new park in Chinatown, civic leader Ping Tom
Ping Tom
Ping Tom was a Chinese American businessman and civic leader in Chicago.-Early life:Mr. Tom was the youngest of eight children. His mother, Lillian Goo, married Tom Y. Chan after her sister, Mary Goo, Tom Y. Chan's first wife, died from influenza. Mary Goo had two children: Florence and Grace...
formed the Chinese American Development Corporation (CADC), a private real estate firm, in 1984. Five years later, the firm purchased a former 32 acres (129,499.5 m²) Santa Fe
Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway , often abbreviated as Santa Fe, was one of the larger railroads in the United States. The company was first chartered in February 1859...
rail yard
Rail yard
A rail yard, or railroad yard, is a complex series of railroad tracks for storing, sorting, or loading/unloading, railroad cars and/or locomotives. Railroad yards have many tracks in parallel for keeping rolling stock stored off the mainline, so that they do not obstruct the flow of traffic....
and began construction on Chinatown Square
Chinatown Square
Chinatown Square is a two-story outdoor mall located in Chinatown, Chicago, a mile from the center of Chicago just north of the main Wentworth Avenue District . Chinatown Square, on of reclaimed land from a former railroad yard, houses mostly restaurants, retail space, boutiques, banks, clinics,...
, a $100 million residential and commercial development project. However, 6 acres (24,281.2 m²) along the Chicago River, was left untouched. The Chinatown community then formed the Chinatown Riverside Park Advisory Council to work with the Chicago Park District to assess the possibility of developing the remaining area into a public park. With the support of Park District Commissioner Raymond Lee, the Park District approved the proposal to purchase the land, along with an additional 6 acres (24,281.2 m²) that extended along the river northward to 16th Street in 1991.
Tom died of pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer refers to a malignant neoplasm of the pancreas. The most common type of pancreatic cancer, accounting for 95% of these tumors is adenocarcinoma, which arises within the exocrine component of the pancreas. A minority arises from the islet cells and is classified as a...
in July 1995—three years before construction of the park began. During a Chinatown Chamber of Commerce meeting held in March 1998, the Riverside Park Advisory Council suggested renaming the park in honor of Ping Tom, the driving force behind the its creation. The request was approved on August 3, 1998, and the park was renamed Ping Tom Memorial Park. The park was dedicated and officially opened by Chicago Mayor
Mayor of Chicago
The Mayor of Chicago is the chief executive of Chicago, Illinois, the third largest city in the United States. He or she is charged with directing city departments and agencies, and with the advice and consent of the Chicago City Council, appoints department and agency leaders.-Appointment...
Richard M. Daley
Richard M. Daley
Richard Michael Daley is a United States politician, member of the national and local Democratic Party, and former Mayor of Chicago, Illinois. He was elected mayor in 1989 and reelected in 1991, 1995, 1999, 2003, and 2007. He was the longest serving Chicago mayor, surpassing the tenure of his...
during an ceremony on October 2, 1999. In 2005, the CADC and friends of the Tom family commissioned sculptor Liao Huilana to create a bronze bust
Bust (sculpture)
A bust is a sculpted or cast representation of the upper part of the human figure, depicting a person's head and neck, as well as a variable portion of the chest and shoulders. The piece is normally supported by a plinth. These forms recreate the likeness of an individual...
of Ping Tom. The bust was dedicated and installed at the park on October 22, 2005.
Design and construction
Ernest C. Wong of Site Design Group designed the park. Having designed landscape along Chinatown's Cermak Avenue, Wong was familiar with the community and invited the public to voice their opinions and ideas for the future park. The park's original design called for walled plazas inspired by traditional Chinese gardens in Suzhou, ChinaSuzhou
Suzhou , previously transliterated as Su-chou, Suchow, and Soochow, is a major city located in the southeast of Jiangsu Province in Eastern China, located adjacent to Shanghai Municipality. The city is situated on the lower reaches of the Yangtze River and on the shores of Taihu Lake and is a part...
. This design was scrapped, however, because of security and vandalism concerns. Instead, a system of pathways was created to link defined spaces and mimic courtyard
Courtyard
A court or courtyard is an enclosed area, often a space enclosed by a building that is open to the sky. These areas in inns and public buildings were often the primary meeting places for some purposes, leading to the other meanings of court....
s.
A pagoda
Pagoda
A pagoda is the general term in the English language for a tiered tower with multiple eaves common in Nepal, India, China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam and other parts of Asia. Some pagodas are used as Taoist houses of worship. Most pagodas were built to have a religious function, most commonly Buddhist,...
-style pavilion based on a structure that Wong had seen in Suzhou is located near the park's eastern boundary—the Chicago River. Site Design Group designed the pavilion's ornamentation and railings and obtained its traditional Chinese roof tiles from a source in Japan. The park's entrance is marked by four 20 feet (6.1 m)-tall columns, each etched with Chinese dragons and is modeled after a traditional Chinese courtyard. The park containers Chinese-influenced gardens that include gingko trees and bamboo
Bamboo
Bamboo is a group of perennial evergreens in the true grass family Poaceae, subfamily Bambusoideae, tribe Bambuseae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family....
. A children's playground is located at the north end of the park.
Businesses in Chinatown attempted to raise $200,000 to build an 11-story bell tower
Bell tower
A bell tower is a tower which contains one or more bells, or which is designed to hold bells, even if it has none. In the European tradition, such a tower most commonly serves as part of a church and contains church bells. When attached to a city hall or other civic building, especially in...
pagoda at the south end of the park. The tower was planned to be constructed of brick and stone with a hollow interior. While visitors would not have been able to climb the structure, they would have been able to walk through an entrance at its base. Chicago Sun-Times
Chicago Sun-Times
The Chicago Sun-Times is an American daily newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois. It is the flagship paper of the Sun-Times Media Group.-History:The Chicago Sun-Times is the oldest continuously published daily newspaper in the city...
writer Lee Bey believed the bell tower to be the park's most important feature. Despite the Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
ese government making an early commitment to help finance the tower, it was never constructed.
Before construction of then-named Chinatown Riverside Park could begin on the strip of land south of 18th Street, the area required significant development. The entire western boundary of the park is a functioning Santa Fe rail track
Rail tracks
The track on a railway or railroad, also known as the permanent way, is the structure consisting of the rails, fasteners, sleepers and ballast , plus the underlying subgrade...
. After unsuccessfully looking into possible underground or overground access, an at-grade rail crossing
Level crossing
A level crossing occurs where a railway line is intersected by a road or path onone level, without recourse to a bridge or tunnel. It is a type of at-grade intersection. The term also applies when a light rail line with separate right-of-way or reserved track crosses a road in the same fashion...
was constructed. The US Army Corps of Engineers
United States Army Corps of Engineers
The United States Army Corps of Engineers is a federal agency and a major Army command made up of some 38,000 civilian and military personnel, making it the world's largest public engineering, design and construction management agency...
was then needed to restore the badly deteriorated shoreline of the Chicago River, the park's eastern boundary. At a cost of $2 million, the project improved approximately 1000 feet (304.8 m) of the retaining wall
Retaining wall
Retaining walls are built in order to hold back earth which would otherwise move downwards. Their purpose is to stabilize slopes and provide useful areas at different elevations, e.g...
and lowered the shoreline considerably from its previous position 10 feet (3 m) above the river. The land was also tested for any harmful contaminates from prolonged use as a rail yard. Once development was complete, construction began in 1998 and concluded in fall 1999 at a total cost of $5 million.
Expansion
In 2002, the Chicago Park District acquired 5 acres (20,234.3 m²) additional immediately east of the park's 6 acres (24,281.2 m²) undeveloped northern half. With the acquisition of this land, the CPD has been planning a second development-stage—dubbed "Phase II"—of the park's nearly 11 acres (44,515.5 m²) undeveloped. The plan calls for the development of the area's shoreline and access points, as well as the construction of a cultural arts and recreational facility and a boathouseBoathouse
A boathouse is a building especially designed for the storage of boats, normally smaller craft for sports or leisure use. These are typically located on open water, such as on a river. Often the boats stored are rowing boats...
. The project is estimated to cost $38 million.
In September 2009, the Chicago Park District’s Board of Commissioners entered into an agreement with the City of Chicago that approved the transfer of $10 million in tax increment financing
Tax increment financing
Tax Increment Financing, or TIF, is a public financing method which has been used as a subsidy for redevelopment and community improvement projects in many countries including the United States for more than 50 years...
(TIF) funds for the development of the park's 6 acres (24,281.2 m²) area between the Chicago River and the Santa Fe rail track north of 18th Street. These funds will be used to build a retaining wall, fish habitats and sections of natural shoreline along the area's 875 ft (266.7 m) of shoreline along the Chicago River. Open lawn and landscaped areas will be developed along with a fishing station and various pathways.
Approved also was an ordinance that finances the construction of an athletic field house in Ping Tom Park on the City’s Near South Side.
Funds for the $10 million proposal will be allocated from the River South TIF district.
The field house will include a main gym, club rooms and community meeting areas for nearby Chinatown residents and other users. Specific design details are anticipated to be completed in 2011. Construction is expected
to start the following year.
On September 19, 2011, Mayor Rahm Emmanuel held a press conference in the newly opened expansion of the park to announce a plan to build a series of boat houses along the Chicago River. The riverfront expansion is located to the north of the existing park. It features a bridge that extends over the water as well as unique decorative limestone rocks from Lake Tai in China.
Reception
Chicago Sun-Times writer Curtis Lawrence wrote that the park has a tranquil feel, while also "soak[ing] up the sights and sounds that move the city". Named the "Best Undiscovered Park" by ChicagoChicago (magazine)
Chicago is a monthly magazine published by the Tribune Company. It concentrates on lifestyle and human interest stories, and on reviewing restaurants, travel, fashion, and theatre from or nearby Chicago. Its circulation in 2004 was 165,000, larger than People in its market...
, the magazine echoed Lawrence's assessment, stating that "despite...urban intrusions, the six-acre park is a tranquil oasis". In a case study of the park, Landscape Forms described the contrast between the park's traditional Chinese pavilion and the prominent Canal Street railroad bridge
Canal Street railroad bridge
The Canal Street railroad bridge is a vertical lift bridge across the south branch of the Chicago River in Chicago, Illinois. When it was constructed in 1914 its 1500 ton main span was the heaviest of any vertical lift bridge in the United States...
, as "a graphic metaphor for the layering of culture and history, tradition and change that defines the community."
Chicago historian Tim Samuelson agreed, saying that the park is an "incredible place" to see both old city and the new Chicago. After praising the park's design, the Chicago Weekly
Chicago Weekly
The Chicago Weekly is a student-written alternative weekly at the University of Chicago that promotes arts and culture on the South Side of Chicago through coverage and criticism. The paper also follows South Side news stories that are ignored by mainstream media...
went on to warn readers of the park's sole entrance, describing it as "maddeningly obscure".
Ping Tom Memorial Park and its designer, Site Design Group, garnered awards for the park's design. The park was named 2000's "Best Open Space" by the Friends of Downtown. Site Design Group was awarded the 2001 Richard H. Driehaus
Richard Driehaus
Richard H. Driehaus is a fund manager, businessman and philanthropist. He is the founder and chairman of Driehaus Capital Management, based in Chicago, a firm which manages US$10 billion...
Foundation Award for Architectural Excellence, as well as a 2000 Honor Award by the American Society of Landscape Architects
American Society of Landscape Architects
The American Society of Landscape Architects is the national professional association representing landscape architects, with more than 17,000 members in 48 chapters, representing all 50 states, U.S. territories, and 42 countries around the world, plus 68 student chapters...
.
Events
The Chicago Dragon Boat Race for Literacy, started in 1999, is a philanthropic event held annually at Ping Tom Memorial Park. Every summer, teams participate in a dragon boatDragon boat
A dragon boat is a human-powered watercraft traditionally made, in the Pearl River delta region of southern China - Guangdong Province, of teak wood to various designs and sizes. In other parts of China different woods are used to build these traditional watercraft...
race tournament along the Chicago River while music, food and entertainment is provided for spectators. The proceeds raised from the event are used to support and promote local literacy, cultural and diversity programs. The park also acts as the finish line to the Chicago River Flatwater Classic, an annual 7.25 miles (11.7 km) canoe and kayak race.
In 2004, the Chinatown Chamber of Commerce used hosted a free series of movies and concerts during their "Summer Fun in Chinatown" campaign. In late September, the Chicago-based Redmoon Theater
Redmoon Theater
Redmoon Theater is a Chicago based not-for-profit theatrical company under the direction of Jim Lasko and Frank Maugeri that specializes in site-specific productions, emphasizing visual spectacle, pageantry, elaborate sets, live music, puppetry, and physical theater. Productions are often out of...
performed Sink. Sank. Sunk..., an outdoor play at the park. The performance was the first in an annual series of site-specific plays created to introduce audiences to undiscovered, often-overlooked Chicago locations. The performance included floating props in the Chicago River and also incorporated the park's active, surrounding trains into the act.
The season 6
The Amazing Race 6
The Amazing Race 6 is the sixth installment of the reality television series The Amazing Race. It premiered on November 16, 2004, and concluded on February 8, 2005.Freddy Holliday & Kendra Bentley were the winners of this Race....
finale of CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
' reality show The Amazing Race
The Amazing Race
The Amazing Race is a reality television game show in which teams of two people, who have some form of a preexisting personal relationship, race around the world in competition with other teams...
ended in Ping Tom Memorial Park. Contestants were instructed to make their way to the finish line in the park from a Gino's East
Gino's East
Gino's East is a Chicago-based restaurant chain, notable for its deep-dish pizza , and for its interior walls, which thousands of patrons have covered in graffiti and etchings.-Cuisine:...
pizzeria; however, after contestants hailed taxi
Taxicab
A taxicab, also taxi or cab, is a type of vehicle for hire with a driver, used by a single passenger or small group of passengers, often for a non-shared ride. A taxicab conveys passengers between locations of their choice...
s, most of the drivers did not know where the park was located.