East Garfield Park

Garfield Park, the oldest of the three original Chicago West Side parks, was first opened to the public in 1874. The park originally occupied only 40 acres of land, but, with the help of numerous additions in the early 1900s, it has since grown into one of the west side's biggest gems. Now made up of over 180 acres of green space, waterways and recreation areas for Chicagoans to enjoy year-round, Garfield Park also touts features that most other parks in the city don't have. The stunning Gold Dome field house houses an Olympic-sized gymnasium, gymnastic and fitness centers, a boxing ring, and a theater, while the park also has a bandshell, a golf shelter building, and an ice skating rink. 

The park, which is located in the East Garfield Park neighborhood, is also home to the enormous Garfield Park Conservatory. Often referred to as "landscape art under glass," the 4.5 acre conservatory was completed in 1907, and remains today as one of the "largest and most impressive conservatories in the United States." The conservatory not only contains a wide array of permanent plant displays, it also serves as the place where "thousands of plants are grown each year for displays in Chicago parks and public spaces."