LAKEVIEW — The School Street Playlot is one step closer to being called "Margaret Donahue Park."
The Chicago Park District this week backed a measure that would name the park at 1230 W. School St. after the former Cubs executive.
Donahue made history as one of the first female executives in major league baseball. She moved to Chicago at 16 to find work as a secretary and was hired as a stenographer by William Veeck, then-president of the Cubs.
She soon rose through the ranks, becoming a bookkeeper, corporate secretary and, eventually, vice president of the Cubs. Donahue is credited with creating season tickets and reduced-price tickets for kids.
"Naming [the park] in honor of her is especially meaningful this year as the city and Cubs celebrate the 100th anniversary of Wrigley Field," said Julia Bachrach, a park district historian.
The district's board of commissioners on Wednesday opened up a 45-day window for public input before any decisions on the name change are finalized.
The School Street Playlot — as it's been known over the years — has taken more than a decade to get off the ground. Construction started earlier this month, and the project should be completed by summer 2015.
The 21,000-square-foot park, which will be Lakeview's largest, was made possible in part by a $1 million donation from the Chicago Cubs. Community members raised $200,000, and there were several private donations.
"This is a project that the park district and the city has been working on since 2001," Chicago Park District Supt. Michael Kelly said. "This is a project that's been a long time coming."
The Cubs and Wrigley Field are 95 percent owned by a trust established for the benefit of the family of Joe Ricketts, owner and CEO of DNAinfo.com. Joe Ricketts has no direct involvement in the management of the iconic team.
