Friends of Lincoln Park

The Lincoln Park Lily Pool is special to many Chicagoans who played in it as children. Others, who became acquainted with it later in life, regard this quiet, green oasis as a welcome antidote to urban life. But whether people were old admirers or new, what was once an Alfred Caldwell masterpiece of the Midwestern “prairie” school of landscape design, had become a dark, overgrown, and degraded eyesore.

It was therefore an enormous challenge to convince people that the much-needed rehabilitation would improve, rather than harm, their beloved pond.     

Embracing the challenge, the landscape architect had to develop a concept that would not only remedy the pool’s serious problems but also be accepted by all private and public interest groups, for a partial restoration had failed several years before. After considerable historical research and an extensive site analysis, a design plan that included carefully prepared budget estimates met overwhelming approval. 

Though responsive to contemporary needs, basing the restoration on the natural history, landscape and the indigenous materials of the region was central to the concept. This enabled present-day visitors to experience many features that their predecessors had. Modern-day commitment to universal access to a public facility presented a challenge to the design team.  How could the area be made accessible without completely relinquishing the original character of flagstone steps and historic walkways? The solution was a compromise that included the retention of original steps in one section and a combination of new walks and the removal of steps in other sections.