Plans for the new park slated for 16th Street and Wabash Avenue in the South Loop are getting finalized, and the Chicago Park District will present them with Ald. Bob Fioretti (2nd) next Wednesday.

The new plan, drawn up by landscape architecture firm Altamanu, will be a curvy design featuring a “dog friendly area” as well as a stage.

Ald. Fioretti recently submitted a request to the park district to name the park “Fred Anderson Park,” after the South Loop jazz legend, who nurtured the music scene in the neighborhood for decades.

Fioretti’s parks liaison, Leslie Recht, said the stage will be key to honoring Anderson’s legacy.

“It’ll be something that could accommodate a little jazz, a little performance area,” Recht said.

The curvy overall layout was chosen so it would be visually appealing looking down into the park, as well as at ground level, Recht said.

“We wanted to do something very creative looking down from above, Recht said.

While the stage and walking path through the park will be for pedestrians, the dog park will take up most of the space.

“There will be a clear delineation between the dog friendly area and the area with the people,” Recht said.

It should have an area for smaller dogs divided from one for larger dogs, she said.

By adding a new dog park in the ward, Recht said the hope is that it’ll help with some of the dog complaints the office gets.

“We’re hoping we can have a really nice place the dogs can come and do the things they need to do, and hopefully it’ll reduce a lot of the issues that people have been seeing in the neighborhood.”

Altamanu declined to comment on the park’s plan.

The meeting unveiling the updated plan will be held April 27 (7 p.m.) at the 1st District police station, 1718 S. State St. It will be open to the public.

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By Anonymous
Posted: 10/12/2011 10:59 AM

It is not a 10 million dollar park, but a 4 million (which could be reduced if the stage was not built). It is not just a dog park, but a park with a dog friendly area, which would be beneficial to all residents.

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By Anonymous
Posted: 10/12/2011 10:58 AM

It is not a 10 million dollar park, but a 4 million (which could be reduced if the stage was not built). It is not just a dog park, but a park with a dog friendly area, which would be beneficial to all residents.

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By Anonymous from Central Station
Posted: 04/23/2011 6:18 AM

Marge, I agree that there is a problem, but a Dog Park at 16th and Wab won't solve anything as: A - Location relative to the density. It would have been much cheaper and easier to cordon of small separate spaces near Dearborn Park and say Twain park. B - Many dog owners are the most insufferable selfish pr!@$s out there. Folks at Museum Towers are not going to walk to 16th & Wabash to let their dogs poop and run...they will let them wizz anywhere. Mark Twain has the same off leash problem..

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By marge from museum park
Posted: 04/22/2011 7:16 PM

It is nice to know of a dog park is being developed here in the south loop. I have witnessed the lovely Daniel Webster Park over the last few years convert to a dog park. This park was not intended as a 'dog' park yet the lawn, the maple trees has lost all it's luster, for dog owners unleash their dogs and do not clean up after their dogs and now the grassy park is not something little children can around in. We need to adhere to park rule of dogs remaining on leash, and have the grassy park

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By Anonymous
Posted: 04/21/2011 4:13 PM

Spot on Daniel! Money for the parks in these TIF areas is going to be lost and guess what, it will be given back to the gen Park fund, and spent in some other ward while U suckers in the s Loop will pay the cost of the TIF loan for parks you won't get to use. E of Wabash thru out Central Station, there is no maintained park space dedicated to the needs of families as was promised and planned. Instead of improving needed open space they are trying to make parks into parking lots.

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By Daniel from South Loop
Posted: 04/21/2011 4:05 PM

A $10MM Dollar Land Purchase for Dogs...wow, just wow. Yet we have a host of Near South and South Loop parks unfinished or on hold, not started but planned, or not improved to meet the needs of taxpayers. WTF?

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By South Poop from South Loop
Posted: 04/21/2011 8:09 AM

""There will be a clear delineation between the dog friendly area and the area with THE PEOPLE,” Recht said." "We're hoping we can have a really nice place THE DOGS can come and do the things they need to do", Recht said." This is BIZARRE... "The dogs" go out, go to the park, hangout, do their business, and go home all by themselves !?!? Dogs are companions to people. Tax paying citizens. Humans who like to hang out with their pups at dog parks. The park should be for PEOPLE with dogs.