Green Briar Park

Description

Green Briar Park, prominently located on West Peterson Avenue just east of California Avenue, serves West Ridge community residents with a number of athletic and unique recreational opportunities. The historic fieldhouse features a gymnasium on the first floor and an auditorium on the second floor, which is available for rental for private events and parties. As part of its after-school Park Kids program, Green Briar Park is 4.03 acres and it offers homework time coupled with recreational activities aimed at physical fitness and health.

The park also provides bitty basketball, youth basketball, and a teen club. For those who enjoy all sports, Green Briar Park offers a Seasonal Sports class that provides practice and preparation for regional and citywide athletic tournaments, which may include flag football, wrestling, volleyball, soccer, or floor hockey, for example. For adults, Green Briar offers 4-on-4 basketball, volleyball, 14” softball, and jewelry making/lapidary. All ages are invited to participate in the park’s instrumental music classes with instruction available on several different instruments such as piano, guitar, and bass guitar.

In the summer, Green Briar keeps children active with a day camp ideal for working parents. The camp includes early bird camp extending the camp time by one hour in the morning. Outdoors, Green Briar Park features two basketball standards, two junior baseball fields, a tennis court, a volleyball court, a playground, and a spray pool.

History

Chicago's West Ridge community grew significantly between 1920 and 1930, its population increasing from 7,500 to nearly 40,000 during that decade. In 1925, the River Park District acquired 3+ acre tract of land in the Green Briar subdivision of the West Ridge community - the northernmost section of that park district's territory. The following year, landscape architect and River Park District board member Jacob L. Crane, Jr. developed a plan for the rectangular park. The plan was featured as a model of good recreational design in Parks: A Manual of Municipal and County Parks. Lack of funds delayed park improvement until 1928, however, when the Chicago Landscape Company implemented a modified version of Crane's plan. That same year, the Park District erected an elegant, 2-story, tile-roofed brick fieldhouse with a 300-seat assembly hall designed by Chicago architect Clarence Hatzfeld. Hatzfeld designed a number of notable buildings in Chicago's parks, including revival-style fieldhouses in Indian Boundary, Portage, and Independence Parks. In 1934, the River Park District and Chicago's 21 other independent park districts were consolidated into the newly-created Chicago Park District. Shortly thereafter, the Chicago Park District constructed a wading pool and tennis courts at Green Briar Park.

Additional Information

Parking/Directions

For directions using public transportation visit www.transitchicago.com.

Free street parking is available around the park.

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