Senn Park Nature Play Space

Our long-awaited Senn Park Nature Play Space has cleared another hurdle! The proposal was approved by the Broadway Armory Park Advisory Council on June 30, 2025. The project now goes to the design/build stage.

The Chicago Park District’s nature play team is partnering with FTCNS and our Senn Park community to design a space that will support positive, hands-on experiences in nature. Nature play spaces are designed for play with elements made of natural materials. These include open-ended “loose parts” that can be manipulated and played with such as sticks, planks, stumps, and mud. Each nature play space is a collaborative community effort, unique to the ecology of the site and the needs of the residents of each neighborhood. Designing, planting, building, and caring for the space is an ongoing creative project that can be a rewarding multi-generational effort.

Our Nature Play Space has already been funded by Alderman Leni Maana-Happpenworth’s 48th Ward participatory budgeting process. Based on community and school feedback, the space will likely feature a mud kitchen, a slate easel, a balancing structure, a play stage, lots of branches and logs for climbing and building.

The final design and construction plans are now moving forward this summer, with a plan to begin construction in September. Watch this space for updates!