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Edgewater Parents To Thank For $800K Renovation At Community's Largest Park

By Linze Rice | October 7, 2017 4:02pm | Updated on October 9, 2017 8:47am
 Ald. Harry Osterman (48th), Mayor Rahm Emnauel, Jesse Ruiz, President of Chicago Park District's Board of Commissioners, Senn High School Principal Mary Beck and Cook County Commissioner Bridget Gainer (10th District) cut the ribbon at Senn Playlot Park.
Ald. Harry Osterman (48th), Mayor Rahm Emnauel, Jesse Ruiz, President of Chicago Park District's Board of Commissioners, Senn High School Principal Mary Beck and Cook County Commissioner Bridget Gainer (10th District) cut the ribbon at Senn Playlot Park.
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DNAinfo/Linze Rice

EDGEWATER — Edgewater families and city officials celebrated the transformation and rebirth of Senn Playlot Park with a ribbon-cutting Saturday afternoon.

The park, at the corner of Elmdale and Glenwood avenues, got an $800,000 renovation this summer which included brand new equipment and space for older kids and toddlers.

Ald. Harry Osterman (48th) said the park's upgrades are "totally attributable" to local parents and families who several years ago began "demanding" changes at the space. It's the largest park in the neighborhood.

After those families, some of whom attend adjacent Immanuel Lutheran Church, wrote a letter to Osterman and the Chicago Park District, the alderman met with the group and together they toured the park, seeing where improvements were needed. 

"And that set the ball in motion," Osterman said. 

Mayor Rahm Emnauel said Senn Playlot Park was the fifth park in Edgewater that has been renovated under the city's Chicago Plays! program. The program also funded a new park at Lake Shore Drive and Bryn Mawr, which opened in 2015. 

Twenty years after the park was built, it was time for some changes because "recess is as important as reading," Emanuel said. 

The new park is separated into two spaces: one for 2-5 year olds and another for kids aged 5-12. Each has new swings, slides, flooring, climbing equipment and more. 

The park officially re-opened this summer and has since adopted programming through the park district, as well as formed a partnership with nearby Senn High School for events. The inaugural Senntoberfest fall festival began after the ribbon-cutting ceremony. 

All photos by DNAinfo/Linze Rice.