Haas Park

Though Chicago features several well-known showcase parks along Lake Michigan, children in many of the city's neighborhoods lack adequate places to play. In 2005, park activists in the park-poor Logan Square neighborhood sought to expand one-acre Haas Park, but no land seemed available until an abandoned warehouse adjoining the park was put up for sale. While the Chicago park district looked for funding,  The Trust for Public Land was able to step in to purchase the property and raise more than $300,000 toward project costs and for much-needed improvements to the park's battered playground. In 2005, the warehouse was demolished to make way for new playing fields and the street between the two properties was closed and grass planted in its place, expanding the park 75 percent.