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Gill Park Update: Fundraiser Says He's 95 Percent There

By Erica Demarest | September 18, 2014 7:27am
 Local entrepreneur Alan Bell hopes to upgrade Gill Park in two phases over the next few years.
Local entrepreneur Alan Bell hopes to upgrade Gill Park in two phases over the next few years.
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Alan Bell

LAKEVIEW — An entrepreneur working to upgrade Gill Park said he's met 95 percent of his fundraising goal and he's hopeful a new playground will debut by late 2015.

"The design is done, and right now we're about $30,000 away from the park district giving the OK to start construction," said Alan Bell, who's spearheaded Gill Park renovation efforts since 2011.

Bell runs The Elements Group, a firm focused on green design projects. He hopes to upgrade Gill Park, a two-acre public park near Broadway and Sheridan, in two phases.

The first would focus on the park field area closest to Broadway and Sheridan.

"It's probably about one-third of the area of the entire park," Bell said, "but it's the most prominent because everyone sees it."

Upgrades would include a new children's playground made with sustainable materials, modern sculptures, new walkways and sustainable seating, and interactive features for people with disabilities. An ivy-covered trellis would shield nearby buildings from view to create a more tranquil atmosphere.

Bell estimates it will cost $500,000 to complete this phase. To date, he's garnered $470,000 in pledged contributions.

The Chicago Park District said it won't move forward with construction until 100 percent of funding is in place. The district wouldn't confirm exactly what the renovations would cost, but did say Gill Park is not currently on its construction calendar.

Bell said he's hopeful he'll raise the final $30,000 in the next few weeks. If all goes according to plan, he said, construction could start by spring and the playground could debut as early as next summer.

"Once we get 'Phase One' done, it places us in a stronger position to get larger and more significant gifts for the remainder of the project," Bell said. "It's going to be a catalyst to get other people in the community involved as well."

The second phase of renovations — which includes upgrading the field house and converting an underutilized courtyard into a green room — would cost $15 million, Bell said.

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