Garfield Park Conservatory to break ground on new $10 million children's garden

A stalled project to renovate the children's garden at the Garfield Park Conservatory is expected to break ground Friday morning.

The new Elizabeth Morse Genius Children’s Garden, first announced in 2021, will cost $10 million to complete. The Garfield Park Conservatory Alliance, the partner organization for the conservatory, mounted a yearslong fundraising campaign for the garden and raised $4.6 million in private donations.

The remaining balance will come from state grants, tax increment financing money and the Chicago Park District, according to the park district. The 6,000-square-foot indoor garden is expected to open next fall.

Renovations were originally expected to begin in the spring of 2022 and wrap up by fall 2023.

“We are so excited for this immersive space to come to life,” said Rosa Escareño, the park district's superintendent, in a statement. “At Chicago Park District, we are on a mission to invest in the creation of children-friendly places that provide exploration of nature in this community.”

The new garden, like the rest of the conservatory, will be free to Chicago residents. There will be a slide, dig pit, toddler area and a nature art gallery. A wheelchair-accessible spiral ramp will wind up to the top of the garden's glass roof. There will also be a dedicated area for kids with sensory processing disorders.

The park district and the Garfield Park Conservatory Alliance will break ground on the project Friday morning.