TITLE
REQUEST TO INITIATE THE 45-DAY NOTICE PERIOD TO NAME PARK NO. 514 AS FILLENWARTH (PATTY) PARK
BODY
To the Honorable Board of Commissioners of the Chicago Park District
I. Recommendation
Pursuant to Chapter VII, Section E of the Code of the Chicago Park District (the “Code”), the General Superintendent recommends that the Board of Commissioners (the “Board”) approve the initiation of a 45-day notice period to solicit public input to name Park 514 as “Fillenwarth (Patty) Park.”
Proposed Park or Park Feature: Park No. 514
Location: 1434 N. Monticello Avenue
Community Area: Humboldt Park
Ward: 26
Proposed Name: Fillenwarth (Patty) Park
II. Authorization
The Board hereby authorizes and directs the Secretary of the Board (the “Secretary”) to perform, or cause to be performed, all such acts to effectuate this notice of solicitation for public input for this proposed naming, including, without limitation the initiation of a forty-five (45) day notice period, the posting of the notice at the nearest fieldhouse and on the Chicago Park District website, and sharing the notice with advisory councils within a one (1) mile radius of Park 514.
III. Explanation
The Chicago Park District assigns an official park number to every property. The General Superintendent proposes that the Board initiate a 45-day notice period to solicit public input to name Park No. 514 as Fillenwarth (Patty) Park.
Park No. 514
Park No. 514 is located in the Humboldt Park community. This small, passive park is 0.68 acres and features a community garden and green space. Though there is no structured programming at this location, it is an active community park.
This park property is owned by Metra. The Park District entered into a licensing agreement with Metra in 2001 to utilize the land to create and operate this park.
Proposed Name: Fillenwarth (Patty) Park
The proposed name of Fillenwarth (Patty) Park recognizes the extraordinary contribution that Sister Patty Fillenwarth made to civic betterment locally.
Sister Patty was a Sister of Providence and ministered to the people of the Humboldt Park community for forty-two (42) years.
Among many accomplishments and contributions to the community, most notably, in 1994 she opened Providence Family Services, a center providing bilingual family counseling. Over time, Sister Patty incorporated community input and added to the center’s offerings to include an after-school tutoring program for children, adult English language classes, computer literacy classes for adults and children, and citizenship classes. Providence Family Services was an anchor in the community that welcomed all regardless of faith, race, or socioeconomic status.
The center operated on small fees for services, grants, appeals to its large donor base and the annual rummage sale. It had a fourteen (14) member advisory board with most members from the local community. In its twenty-four (24) year history, Providence Family Services served almost 10,000 people.
Part of the Providence Family Services mission statement said, “Providence Family Services provides support and direction to assist individuals, couples and families to make changes that will allow them to achieve wholeness and an awareness of their personal gifts.” Sister Patty was true to that mission.
Sister Patty passed away in June 2020 at the age of seventy-nine (79). She had been a Sister of Providence for sixty-two (62) years.
This request to officially name Park No. 514 as Fillenwarth (Patty) Park was submitted by Maggie Martinez, an active member of the Humboldt Park community and has the support of Alderman Jesse Fuentes, State Representative Lilian Jiménez, State Senator Omar Aquino, Pastor José Maria García-Maldonado of the San José Sánchez del Río Parish, and additional members of the Humboldt Park community.
Pursuant to the Code, this request to name Park No. 514 was forwarded to designated Park District staff (“Park District staff”) who conducted a comprehensive review and analysis of the request to ascertain if it met the criteria for naming a park. Park District staff found that the criteria had been met. Also pursuant to the Code, this request to name Park No. 514 was forwarded to Secretary.
IV. Park Naming Procedures and Criteria for Naming of a Park
As set forth in Chapter VII, Section E.1 of the Code, the General Superintendent or their designee accepts written requests to name parks. Upon receipt, such written requests are forwarded to the Secretary and Park District staff who conduct a comprehensive review and analysis of the request to ascertain if it meets the criteria.
Upon a finding that the criteria have been met, a recommendation may be made to the Board that the Board shall initiate a notice period of at least forty-five (45) days to provide notice and to solicit public imput. If the Board initiates the notice period, the General Superintendent or their designee may recommend the proposed naming of the park to the Board at the conclusion of the notice period.
As set forth in Chapter VII, Section E.2 of the Code, in considering a proposed name of a park, the General Superintendent or their designee shall consider the extent of public support for, and public opposition to, the proposed name. If a proposed name of a park honors a person, the (i) person shall have been deceased for a least one (1) year prior to consideration; and (ii) the person shall have demonstrated a continued commitment and made an extraordinary contribution to civic betterment, locally, nationally or internationally. No proposed park name shall: (i) duplicate the name of another park or park feature within the City of Chicago; (ii) endorse or advocate religion or a specific religious belief; (iii) have obscene connotations; or (iv) malevolently portray, demean or intimidate any racial or ethnic group.