Learn about the Washington Park Quality-of-Life Plan

I'm not familiar with what a Quality-of-Life Plan is; can you help by explaining it to me?

Washington Park New Communities Program is being led by Alderman Willie B. Cochran and a diverse steering committee representing all interests in the community. The open process is reaching out to hundreds of stakeholders—from residents to pastors, and from local business owners to health care providers and housing organizations. By working together, the effort is building on Washington Park's rich history and recent successes by developing a comprehensive, neighborhood-wide plan that is engaging the community to implement systemic changes. The quality-of-life plan will strive to increase the number and quality of local jobs, provide greater housing opportunities, and build on the skills, capacity and strengths of the dedicated residents of Washington Park.

What is the New Communities Program and how might it help Washington Park?

The New Communities Program (NCP) is a long-term initiative of Local Initiatives Support Corporation/Chicago to support comprehensive community development in Chicago neighborhoods. It seeks to rejuvenate challenged communities, bolster those in danger of losing ground and preserve the diversity of areas in the path of gentrification. The New Communities Program (NCP) is supported by a major grant from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur foundation with additional funding from the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Chase Foundation, Lloyd A. Fry Foundation, Joyce Foundation, Living Cities, Mayor's Office of Workforce Development, Partnership for New Communities, Polk Bros. Foundation, State Farm and Steans Family Foundations.

  • Download New Washington Park Quality-of-Life-Plan

    Washington Park released its new Quality-of-Life Plan this past Saturday May 30, 2009 at the Washington Park Refectory. The Washington Park Consortium was announce as the lead agency in the execution of the plan.

  • Celebrate the new quality-of-life plan May 30; all welcome

    The Washington Park Consortium, Ald. Willie B. Cochran, and LISC invite you to join us for the unveiling of the new Washington Park Quality-of-Life Plan. The unveiling will take place Saturday, May 30, 2009 at 10:30am in Washington Park at the Washington Park Refectory. The Washington Park Consortium will celebrate this refocused effort with an afternoon of service in the park.

  • Taking a look at a draft plan

    Washington Park stakeholders and residents had a chance to weigh-in on an early draft of sections of the Quality-of-Life Plan Sept. 20 and the response was largely positive at the Church of the Good Shepherd. A Community Planning Workshop, which drew nearly 100 people, was devoted to the draft plan, reactions and discussions of proposed ideas and strategies. The workshop closed with discussion of neighborhood land purchases by the University of Chicago.

  • End of planning, new era for Washington Park

    As New Communities Program planning closes in Washington Park, it heralds a new era for the south side neighborhood with beautiful green space, historic boulevards and plenty of room to grow.

  • Building consensus, finding language for quality-of-life plan

    A “die hard, core group” met Oct. 18 at St. Edmund’s Episcopal Church for a morning discussion of a revised draft of a Quality of Life Plan. Washington Parkers are building consensus and crafting language to illustrate their needs, hopes and vision for the neighborhood.

  • Education, economic development take center stage

    The Church of the Good Shepherd played host to a July 26 Neighborhood Summit as residents and stakeholders in Washington Park added more detail to their fast-developing Quality of Life Plan. This Saturday meeting featured special sessions devoted to education and economic development which augmented regular sessions on senior and housing issues.

  • Planning, learning, doing: Growing partnerships in Washington Park

    Washington Park residents and stakeholders working on a Quality of Life Plan highlighted a budding youth coalition, added senior citizens to the mix and learned about Tax Increment Financing during a June 28 Community Planning Workshop at St. Edmund’s Church.

  • Focusing on senior citizens

    Washington Park residents and stakeholders added an important piece to their Quality-of-Life Plan puzzle by focusing on the elderly during recent planning session at St. Edmund’s Church. The session was the first time formal discussions turned to the needs of Seniors.

  • Project ideas emerge at May 17 Summit

    The outlines of a neighborhood plan began emerging at Washington Park’s first Strategy Summit on May 17, 2008 at St. Edmund’s Episcopal Church. More than 65 local stakeholders participated. Read the report for the full list of tentative projects.

  • 'People felt they were heard' - April 26 meeting

    From easy agreement on a mission statement to heated discussions about housing, community history, and social and political realities that have impacted residents, the second Community Planning Workshop for Washington Park ignited the passion of neighborhood residents and pushed the quality-of-life planning process forward.

  • View photos from April 26 meeting

    Click here to view photos taken at the April 26, 2008 planning meeting.

  • ‘The stone that the builders rejected’: March 29 meeting

    More than 100 people turned out for a community planning workshop on March 29, 2008, to discuss the neighborhood's future and shape a preliminary vision statement.

  • Words describe the future Washington Park

    Planning participants chose short descriptions like "robust" and "treasured" to describe the Washington Park neighborhood IN THE FUTURE.

  • Participants support working vision statement

    Residents and leaders discussed and supported the working vision statement presented at the April 26 community planning workshop.

  • News headlines suggest vibrant future

    Residents wrote headlines to describe what they'd like to read about Washington Park five years from now.

    Some of the words they chose were "eclectic," "grand," "transit oriented" and "vibrant."

  • NCP/Washington Park downloadable brochure

    You can download a four-page brochure on NCP/Washington Park here. Share it with someone!