City in a Garden: Spring Service in Chicago, Illinois

The Trip

Chicago is often referred to as “the most American city.” It has something to offer everyone, from the Green Mill Poetry Slam to numerous blues bars, from kayaking the Chicago River to enjoying the Museum Campus in Grant Park. While this is indeed a service trip, we will also have free time to enjoy Chicago’s dining, entertainment, and cultural gems. Our hostel, located in the ‘heart’ of downtown Chicago, simplifies venturing out evenings and on non-work days to explore on your own or to coordinate outings with participants in our group or other travelers at the hostel. Travel to and from work sites introduces us to Chicago’s various districts and the ambiances within each that makes it uniquely its own.  Whether you are a beginner or seasoned traveler, come expecting to enjoy our service projects, to have fun, and to discover the City in a Garden. You may even wish to arrive early or extend your stay to further explore Chicago.

The Project

Our host agency is the Chicago Park District. Chicago is situated on the western shore of Lake Michigan, and the lakefront’s natural areas will serve as sites for some of our service projects. We anticipate helping with enhancement plantings, invasive plant removal, and possibly supplemental seeding. Work areas may include Jackson Park’s Wooded Island and Bobolink Meadow, both historically significant as part of the site of the famous World’s Columbian Exposition of 1893. Habitat at this location is comprised of both woodland and tall grass prairie.

Getting There

Chicago is well served by air, train, and bus transportation options. The CTA can easily get you to the hostel from O’Hare and Midway airports and Union Station. Detailed information regarding using Chicago public transportation will be provided to approved participants. Parking in downtown Chicago is expensive so please keep this in mind if you plan to drive. Please do not make non-refundable travel arrangements until notified to do so by the trip leader.

Accommodations and Food

We will stay at the Hostelling International Chicago facility, which has an excellent central location in downtown Chicago. We will share semi-private, gender-separate sleeping rooms that adjoin to a larger common area within the suite. Couples will room together; singles will stay in same-gender, shared sleeping rooms. Each suite will have up to eight persons, depending on the group composition. The baths are separate for men and for women. Each in-suite bath has one shower, toilet, and sink. Baths with additional showers and toilets are located down the hall. Bed linens and towels are provided.

We will have limited access to kitchen facilities. Please be aware that we prepare meals for a group and cannot accommodate all individual preferences or extremely restrictive diets. We ask that you discuss any dietary restrictions with the leaders in advance. The hostel provides breakfast, and we will make our lunches before heading to the work site. Three dinners and one lunch are not included in the trip price to allow trip participants to explore the many ethnic eateries located within walking distance of the hostel.

Trip Difficulty

This is a leader-approved trip. As a service trip, the anticipation is that participants will actively participate in the volunteer work projects. Safety is a primary concern on all service trips; each participant will work at his or her own pace and endurance level. Work breaks are customary so that we may enjoy our surroundings.  The projects may include some strenuous activity (e.g. digging, hauling, and planting) and there may be some long stretches of walking from the CTA stop to our work sites. Be kind to yourself; being in good physical condition will enhance your enjoyment of this exceptional opportunity.

Equipment and Clothing

With some certainty, we can anticipate April showers, which blossom May flowers. Chicago’s breezy lakeside temperatures may be cool with afternoon highs in the upper-60s; dressing in layers is highly encouraged. Come prepared for any kind of weather and ready to enjoy the diversity of Chicago’s many beautiful parks!

Approved participants will be given an equipment list with the Welcome Letter, which will include clothing appropriate for outdoor work projects, closed-toe protective shoes, casual clothing/shoes, reusable lunch container(s), a day pack large enough to carry lunch, snacks, water bottles or hydration system, rain gear, and personal items, such as an ouch kit, camera, and daily medications.

References

• Chicago Park District: http://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/.

Conservation

Chicago has one of the most extensive park districts in the nation, comprising more than 8,100 acres and including 50 nature areas. In the 1830s, the motto “City in a Garden” was adopted, and residents rallied their efforts to create the nation’s first comprehensive park system. Beginning with Lincoln Park, on the city’s north side, Chicagoans worked together to create neighborhood parks; this network of parks provided a green oasis in the rapidly growing, industrial city in the late 19th century and was heralded by President Theodore Roosevelt as “the most notable civic achievement in any American city."

With such a large and varied array of green spaces to manage, the Park District must carefully balance its limited resources. Volunteers are welcomed and highly appreciated by the Chicago Park District staff.  We anticipate that some of our service projects will focus on natural areas along the Lake Michigan lakefront. As Sierra Club National Outings volunteer leaders, our hope is that the participants on this service trip will become strong believers in and advocates for protecting our planet’s fragile eco-systems and become dedicated stewards of the Earth.

Sierra Club National Outings is an equal-opportunity provider and when applicable will operate under permits obtained from U.S. federal land agencies.