Maggie Daley Park

Maggie Daley Park is one of Chicago's newest spectacular green spaces in the heart of downtown. Opening in late 2014, Maggie Daley Park became an instant success due its unique Ice Skating Ribbon and magical Play Garden.

The 3-acre Play Garden, a first of its kind in Chicago, was built in the spirit of Alice in Wonderland and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Play and plantings are intentionally different from usual garden and park settings, designed to capture the imagination, and engage different senses in all seasons of the year. The Play Garden integrates the landscape with custom-designed play structures and sculptures, providing diverse opportunities for fun, adventure, exploration, and learning for children of all ages. The Park also has an 18-hole miniature golf course, and picnic groves. 

The Skating Ribbon is dramatically different from typical ice rinks. Skaters can experience 'the alps in the city' as they follow a path twice the length of a lap around a traditional skating rink. Complementing the ribbon are places to rent skates or enjoy a cup of hot chocolate. In the summertime the Ribbon can be used as a scooter track for children, or a walking path where you can watch climbers on the climbing wall.

At the center of the Skating Ribbon sits two stunning rock-climbing structures that form Chicago's first and only Climbing Park. These custom-designed sculptural rocks and boulders provide a unique outdoor recreational experience for beginners and experts alike, supported with instruction and supervision by park staff. The rock climbing walls' maximum height is 40 feet over a total surface area of 19,000 square feet. The combination of the Skating Ribbon and Climbing Park achieves the project aspiration of a park for all seasons, inviting and engaging to Chicagoans and visitors alike.