CHICAGO — Mayor Rahm Emanuel Saturday pledged $2 million towards to the city's parks.
The money, which the mayor's office said is leftover from federal and private funds raised to host last year's NATO summit, will add a new park and expand the Circus in the Parks program.
The new park will be built in North Lawndale, near Frazier Preparatory Academy, 4027 W. Grenshaw Ave., the mayor's office said. In 2010, Emanuel pledge to grow the number of parks in the city so that no resident had to walk more than 10 minutes to a park.
Other parks will see upgrades, such as new lights and turf. Those upgrades and the new park will cost $1.7 million, the mayor's office said.
The remaining $300,000 will go towards increasing neighborhood cultural programming at the Institute of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture in Humboldt Park, and the Circus in the Parks program.
This summer, Circus in the Parks will be folded into a new program, called Night Out in the Parks, which will double the circus programs and add performances in more parks.
Emanuel has already pledged $9 million in NATO legacy funds towards parks.
