By Jocelyn Martinez
Traveling to Oz Park with my siblings and mom was a trip down memory lane. Then finding different statues of Dorothy and Toto, The Tin Man, The Scarecrow, and The Cowardly Lion was an adventure in itself. Now I am revisiting a Park I went to after school and for gym in high school.
Norwood (Senior Center) Park, similar to Lincoln Park and Jefferson (Memorial) Park, the neighborhood has the same name as the park. Although Norwood Park was first used as a name by a post office which had the name park.
Norwood Park is named after a 1876 novel Norwood; Or, Village Life in New England by Henry Ward Beecher. Beecher (1818-1887) had published short vignettes, yet he published one novel.
In 1910 there was an increase of residents in the Norwood Park area.
The 14 arcs park was acquired in 1921 and in 1922 the park had a site drainage of streets and alleys to expand the park.
In 1928 the field house was added. In 2009 a senior center was added next to the field house. Also added to the park’s name. As not to be confused with another park by the same name. The senior center has a library, computer room, and conference room. These features are available for $72/year for 50-55 year olds, and for 60 and up it is $30. The senior center facility is around 7,000 square feet.
Norwood (Senior Center) Park has a pool with a slide, playground, tennis court, baseball field, dog field (a dog friendly zone), a running track, and a roller rink.
Nearby the park is October Cafe, Sapori Napoletani Pizzeria, Norwood Park Historical Society, Chicago Center for Dynamic Circus, Alden Estates of Northmoor Rehabilitation & Health Care Center, and William Howard Taft High School (where I went to high school).
During gym class we would sometimes go to Norwood (Senior Center) Park. We would use the tennis court and the track and field. I look most fondly back at the gym class of my freshmen year as most of my friends shared the same class. Otherwise, the gym is usually ranked rather low.
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Norwood (Senior Center) Park was an interesting time in my life where parks are concerned. The summer before I started high school my family went to Riis Park and my siblings played at the playground. I had just gotten my first smart phone, and I felt I was too old to be at the playground.
Although, this did not last long. Soon after starting high school I went to Norwood (Senior Center) Park despite telling my parents that I was too old for parks. That lasted for the summer. After school, when I was waiting to be picked up by either my father or mother, my friends and I went to the park. We sat in the playground. The very same I was too old for.
It was a fun time. As this was the first time I was not picked up immediately after school. I got to explore the world a bit more. We would sometimes leave the park and go to Dunkin Donuts or Subway. One weekend a couple of my friends and I went to the pool. While I do not speak to a majority of them now, I do look upon this time as the first time I was exploring outside of my parents.
Despite this time in Norwood (Senior Center) Park of stepping away from my parents, my siblings still played in this park. Sometimes.
Winter time at the park shows the beauty with fall leaves still present. Despite the cold in Chicago, it is beautiful.
Norwood (Senior Center) Park main event right now is Chicago’s First Responder Yoga at Norwood on January 8th, 15th, 22nd, and 29th. Then again on February 5th, 12th, 19th, and 22nd. The last is March 5th and 12th. There was also a Drop and Shop on December 12th.
For more information on the events of Norwood (Senior Center) Park please see https://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/parks-facilities/norwood-park
Norwood (Senior Center) Park also has different programs that are primarily for sports. Many of these programs are the same, but for different age groups. Gymnastics for an example at Norwood (Senior Center) Park has Tiny Tots Tumbling for ages 3-5 years old for $27. Then Team Developmental Gymnastics for ages 6-13 years old for $27. Lastly Gymnastics for ages 13-16 years old for $45. Here if a child wants to continue gymnastics there is an opportunity for them from 3 to 16 years old. Others that one can follow through all years are girls baseball and basketball.
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There is also Pickleball for 60 years old and up for free, Strength and Conditioning at Norwood for 60 years old and up for free, and Stretching at Norwood for 60 years old and up for free.
Non sports events are Dinner and Movie in (Special Rec) for $8, Cooking (Special Rec) ages 12 and up for $6. Arts & ABCs for 2 and 6 months and 4 years old for $27, another for 3 to 6 years old for $27, and another 12 years old and up. The most expensive is Kiddie College 3-6 years old for $180. The majority of these programs cost around the $20 to $30 range.
For more information of the programs Norwood (Senior Center) Park please see https://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/parks-facilities/norwood-park
