I don't skate. In fact, the last time I had wheels strapped to my feet was 1993 when I worked part…read moretime at a skating rink (and yes, that job was as much fun as you can imagine it would be.) Earlier this year, I was unemployed with a lot of time on my hands. I had so much free time that I would just wander around my neighborhood aimlessly because it gave me something to do. One of my regular stops was the Logan Square Skate Park. It was fun to watch the kids do tricks and skate around. At times I felt like a creepy old lady surrounded by high school kids, but this park was family friendly so a few parents brought their little ones occasionally to skate around. Oh, who am I kidding...I still felt creepy but it was a nice distraction and it got me off my couch and out of my pajamas.

only cool if you: a) live 2 blocks away or less…read moreb) are in high school and trying to get laid c) want to feel like a bridge troll

Large park with nice playground for both small and larger kids, swings, baseball diamonds,…read morebasketball and tennis courts. Fieldhouse with restrooms and outdoor pool.

Big park located in North Center. Hamlin Park is known for its athletic fields. It has a few…read morebaseball diamonds, as well as basketball and tennis courts, along with a pool. Also has indoor facilities like the fieldhouse and the gym. There's also a dog area where they can run around and stuff. A place that's pretty much for the neighborhood but it's still big enough for a crowd. It's best known for the athletic fields. This is a popular place for youth baseball leagues. Also offers lots of fitness programs you can sign up for. There's weightlifting, yoga, and more. It was created in 1909 by the Lincoln Park Commission. The fieldhouse was designed by architect Dwight H. Perkins. It was the most impressive of the fieldhouses he designed. This has two gyms and an assembly hall. Easily among the best places to play sports or just watch others do anything. It's got tons of fields to play on. There's baseball, basketball, and tennis among other things.

Right off, I have a statement to the press: this goofy-footed former skater hasn't skated in years,…read moreworried about my brittle bones potentially ending up outside my skin in a compound fracture, and after having broken a couple ribs from rollerblading too fast for conditions. I also wasn't too excited about a million-plus dollar skate park coming to my neighborhood. That having been said, I love watching the kids learn their tricks and seeing the professionals on the Dew Tour this past weekend. There's something about aficionados putting their noses to the grindstone (or ledge or rail) and working to achieve something that gives me hope for the future. It's nice that they have a place to grind, since they can be quite annoying in public places. And the kids are fit from all the exercise: no faces planted in front of cellphone screens here. Some people say they have no regrets in life: this is a minor one, but I would have loved to have lived near this place in my youth. My only other minor regret is that they don't have a bowl here, but it's not far to go to 34th Street & LSD and get stoked, watching someone catch some sick air after popping his first 180 off the rim of the bowl .

Sometimes busy, but the park itself has not too many things, it's more of a street skatepark tho.read more

Not going to lie, it has been quite a few years... didn't drop in, didn't get air, but I did get…read moreabove transition and carved around. What a great asset to have along the lakefront. Great vibe, good fellow skaters, lots of fun.

I can't skate to save my life but just watching is awesome. I'm surprised there aren't more of…read morethese extremely beautiful concrete bastions around town. The concrete is perfectly smooth and the lip of the pools are molded metal that prevents the edge from chipping. And the skaters thrash it all day here. It's an amazing thing to behold. Just make sure you know the lingo and when to ensure your kid wears a helmet! Is he or she yammering about "dropping into a bowl" the first time? For Pete's sake they should wear a helmet! And hand guards! Even Tony Hawk always has his main gear on. He's the best role model out there. I'm not saying your kids should look like they're wearing a space suit. But only the experienced skaters wear less safety gear. Skating still gets a bad rap. It's a great way to blow off steam, socialize, and it's good exercise. You can tell how much energy and focus it takes when you're less than ten feet away. And if your teenager never evinces charisma about anything other than video games and cutting class, you should be ecstatic if they pick up skating. It's really cool being at the Wilson pools and watching the magic.

Cool skate park and hockey rink. Excellent ramps and…read morejumps. The kids love it. Fence enclosed.

Lovely park to have as a neighbor. Lots of trees around the perimeter and wide open space in the…read morecenter. Softball throughout the summer, a nice playground for the next generation, and a field house with a basketball court (limited open gym hours).

This is a great little neighborhood park with a playground, some baseball diamonds, tennis courts…read moreand just a little bit of greenery in this concrete jungle. My favorite thing about this park is when I walk a dog I'm sitting around, there are garbage cans everywhere, woohoo! There is usually some parking around the park if you're coming for a game. The playground is usually full of families and children playing which is a nice sight to see! The one thing that makes no sense is a constantly running water fountain. I don't get why it doesn't turn off. Seems like a total waste.

Portage Park has become one of my go-to spots to stay active. I jog here pretty regularly, and the…read morepaths are smooth, open, and easy to loop depending on how long I want to run. Early mornings especially are peaceful -- fresh air, open space, and just a solid environment to clear your head. I also play pickleball here, and the courts always have a good energy. They can get active, but I've never had any issues. People are respectful, games rotate smoothly, and it feels like a positive community vibe rather than chaotic. The park is well kept, clean, and just overall reliable. I've been coming here consistently for runs and games and have genuinely never had a problem. It's one of those neighborhood spots you're glad to have nearby.

Come play sports or just chill in this big park in the neighborhood named after it. In this popular…read moregreen space are numerous athletic fields and a playground among other stuff. Portage Park is big enough to go on a pretty long nature walk. Also it's popular for photography and other events. The park has a massive Olympic size swimming pool that has hosted competitions and trials. Best thing about this area is this beautiful green space that's the center of the community. It's got something for everyone. The athletic facilities and fields are the most well known. So many to choose from. These include five baseball fields, two football or soccer fields, and six tennis courts just among the stuff you can find outdoors. Has two fieldhouses. Of course there's also the swimming pool. This has hosted the Pan American Games and also the 1972 Olympic Trials. Also there's an indoor one that's heated. There's an interactive water play area popular in summer. A lot of after school and youth programs are offered. These include gymnastics and woodcraft. Boxing is also a popular program offered here. There's been many who went on to the Olympics and professional careers after being taught. Some come to this park just to get outside. There's a bike path and nature walk if wanting to get easier exercise without using balls and stuff. Good park for all kinds of activities. It's located on Irving Park Road. The CTA station is a ways away, but buses go along this street pretty often, even on weekends.

Used to run the Softball field with LO$. They got ice skating in the winter. Farmers market…read more sometimes they do a haunted house as well. Couple Basketball courts to shoot the rock.

The Zumba Gold Class at Ridgeville Park District in Evanston held on Friday mornings at 10am is…read moreuser friendly for Seniors in all physical conditions! Because the teacher has her own physical challenges she is very patient and encourages the students to participate even if it means sitting in a chair. I was surprised to be sweating while sitting in a chair and I felt great after the class because of such a sense of accomplishment. Anna Christina Nelson