Coloring Roots: Cicero Residents Share Their Vision for Future Green Spaces
Illustrations by Emily Reynoso
By Leslie Hurtado
This story was produced with the support of Altavoz Lab, an organization dedicated to uplifting the work of community journalists.
Cicero has long claimed a commitment to supporting people with disabilities. So, when the Town of Cicero broke ground on what local officials called the area’s “first 100 percent disability accessible playground,” locals had high hopes for the new, accessible green space dubbed Phil Fuentes Ability Park, named after a local businessman with a disability.
However, what the community actually received was a park -—funded by a hodgepodge of state and federal grants, including grants from the state’s Department of Economic Opportunity and funding from the American Rescue Plan Act—that may actually be harmful, according to our previous reporting from Cicero Independiente.
Because green spaces are scarce in Cicero, residents have embraced the park despite lingering environmental concerns about the site. However, the planning process for Ability Park lacked community input and transparency.
So, community feedback about Cicero’s new park was gathered as part of a collaboration with Altavoz Lab, a community journalism fellowship that allowed Cicero Independiente to organize a listening session at Fantasia Cafe aimed at reaching young people and families who are hungry for opportunities to provide city officials with feedback on the planning and implementation of Cicero’s greenspaces.
Youth and families were invited to imagine greener, more welcoming and accessible parks, helping shape our reporting on Ability Park. As a thank you for their insights, we offered free coffee bundles with flowers, in collaboration with Fantasia Cafe, and a collage workshop with artist Emily Reynoso, who guided participants in reimagining an ideal park design.
As Cicero Independiente first reported in 2024, the town voluntarily enrolled the park in the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) remediation program. But as of publication, children are now actively using the park—even though the site has not received a No Further Remediation letter. This is the state’s confirmation that Cicero demonstrated through investigation and possible cleanup that environmental conditions “do not present a significant risk to human health or the environment,” according to the state agency. Even if the program was voluntary, the letter would have served as a critical safeguard, showing that the agency reviewed site safety measures before families were allowed to use the park.
Phil Fuentes Ability Park, June 4, 2026 Nathan Olsen/ Cicero Independiente.
Our reporting also found hazardous contaminants at the former industrial site, including arsenic, lead and vinyl chloride. The cleanup plan called for removing contaminated soil from certain “hot spots,” while arsenic would be managed rather than completely removed. Plans for the park also left in place groundwater contaminated with lead, relying on restrictions to limit exposure. Experts warned those protections may not hold if pavement cracks, soil is disturbed, or flooding brings shallow groundwater toward the surface.
Under gloomy skies and amid Halloween decorations last year, students from Cicero School Districts 99 and 201 were among the first children with disabilities to see Ability Park when it opened to the public on Oct. 28. The children were met by costumed characters such as Jack Skellington and Ronald McDonald and they were provided with popcorn and McDonald’s Happy Meals by Phil Fuentes. The park’s namesake is a Cicero McDonald’s franchise owner who for years worked with Cicero Town President Larry Dominick.
Throughout the course of reporting on the park, which began in July, 2024, our team sought comments from town officials and disability advocacy organizations involved in the park’s development process, including follow-up requests in May. However, we did not receive a response by publication time. Broadly, town officials have ignored multiple requests for comment on this story and others published by Cicero Independiente.
It is our hope that this reporting prompts more conversations with Cicero town officials, and inspires the next generation to speak up about green spaces in their community.
Down below, you’ll find excerpts from our February listening sessions with Cicero residents. Their responses have been edited for clarity.
As told to by Leslie Hurtado
Leslie Flores, 28, of Cicero
This is our future. Children are our future. It's important to be able to create a safe place where they're able to be themselves, and not just be themselves, but also be healthy. There's a lot of health issues in my generation, and I think that's probably why we are starting to open up our minds about having healthier options. But there are also health risks that can occur even at parks. There needs to be more accountability toward the [the town] coming from the community, where we're not just trusting government officials for [our safety].
What do I imagine my park being? It would include a pond, a gazebo — maybe even a stage somewhere where people are able to express themselves. So I'm Christian, and it’s important to have a [park] where I can express my faith freely, without being judged for it.
Like God created us, if we look at it that way, then when we create things, make things safe, and come with that perspective, we will start saying, “Wow, there is a purpose and a plan for [children] on earth.” And when we [create] like that, it opens our hearts more to people, children, and everyone as a whole, allowing a park to become a diverse place for everybody.
*Leila, 17, of Oak Park
(Editor’s note: Layla declined to provide her last name during the interview.)
I think in [Oak Park] where I grew up, we were really close to a very nice park with slides and swings, and it was always very clean. I really value an environment where kids can come and play without a fear of anything dangerous or other things that parents might fear for their children. I think I never had that fear, and I really valued that.
The parks in Oak Park are pretty — always lively and energetic. They're pretty clean, and they're always busy. I think I always see kids there. I see teenagers there. I see adults playing in the park or playing football when it's nice out.
It's always nice going out in [Oak Park]. The weather has been great. And it's been really nice seeing people come out and spend their time outside. And I think the parks in [Oak Park] are perfect for all ages because there's tables for adults to sit at and fields for teenagers. There’s also a playground for little kids. So it's very age friendly.
I think it's terrible that [Ability Park] has [toxic contamination]. Last year, I took an AP Environmental Science course at my school, and we discussed a lot of the effects of how lead and arsenic can affect our environment and children in our local communities. And we focused on things we can do to prevent that in our parks.
I think the way to rejuvenate our land starts with our generation. I think we have the power to make the change. And I think if you want that change, it's up to us to do it. We need to protest, make reforms, sign petitions, and talk with our local city council to make better, cleaner park areas.
Nube Silva, 13, and her mother, Emma Garcia, 37, of Cicero
Nube: I would definitely say that [Cicero] has updated a few parks in our community, especially the park by the Dunk Pond Pool. Those [parks] are more safe for younger kids, which I do appreciate. But I do think that Safety Town is a good park too. That is the main one I go to. And I would love to have a park similar to that. But I remember when I was younger, I would love climbing stuff. So maybe having a safe area for kids to climb would be super cool.
Emma: I mean us as a family, for a really long time, the 35th, 34th street park area has always kind of been a staple for us in the neighborhood. It's great to walk in. There's a hockey ring, and we have Safety Town right by us. So, as a community, having events [in Cicero] lets other community members see we have a variety of parks. And the park by [Unity Junior High] — the [Town of Cicero] definitely renovated that area. It’s sad to hear that we're having a playground in contaminated areas, and while it is a good start, we messed up and fumbled the ball by having it contaminated and not informing people of the [site’s past].
Nube: for my generation, social media would be a big outlet and a big way to [spread awareness] on [parks] since so many kids my age are on social media, especially Instagram. I feel like that would be a good outlet to [post] what you want to say. The [community] can put up flyers or notify schools about [environmental issues]. Notifying schools can help parents who do not allow their kids to have social media but still want them to participate in the community, go outside, and spend time with their friends.
There are two people my age who want to visit [Ability Park], but there is not much to do there because it feels more geared toward younger kids. I would definitely love for the [Town of Cicero] to add activities for people my age, like volleyball courts and basketball courts. I mainly like big seating areas, like picnic tables instead of benches because a lot of kids my age love sitting down and talking.
Melanny Buitron, 31, of Cicero
When I first moved to [Cicero], I remember thinking, “Why don’t we have recycle bins?” And I eventually learned that was a normal thing in Cicero. I didn’t know we could request for a [recycle bin]. And for a couple years, I worked at Morton College, and there's a space around there that's not environmentally the best. I don't know if it's true, but I heard there were toxins around the field area.
I also noticed the air quality and smell. I always thought that was kind of like a fluke. But every time I drove on the highway near Morton college, there was always a smell. “Well, that’s just how it is,” instead of asking, “Why does it smell that way?”
I got this viral video once on [Tik Tok] of a person explaining the air quality in Cicero and how it can be cancerous. [Learning] that was alarming to me as a new Cicero resident. That kind of thing is scary. The people of Cicero are genuinely so kind. We deserve better as a community when it comes to air quality, coming from a person with asthma,
It’s sad to hear that with Ability Park, we’re promised one thing and we’re delivered the other, especially when it comes to access. [Accessibility] is something I’m huge on. I broke my leg three years ago, and I was in a wheelchair for a bit. Having that experience really opened my eyes to how many places are just not [accessible], even concerts. And it takes us to advocate for ourselves to have these very minimal things.
I think something that is missed a lot of times in parks is the safety of kids versus a [park project] being cheaper or more affordable. That’s something that should not even be a question with this kind of project, like, “We’re going to choose mulch because it’s the cheapest option.” But is it the safest option? That is kind of the lens I would approach it with.
Brenda Bedolla, 33, of Cicero
It’s really unfortunate to say that we don't have a lot of green spaces in Cicero. I live near 31st and Laramie, so I am not super far from Laramie and 35th, which is the only [park] where people go. I have a four-year-old kid, and for me it's important to have parks that are accessible, functional, and safe. I don't want to drive to other neighborhoods like Berwyn, Oak Park, or LaGrange.
When it's really hot outside, my kid can't go down the slides because the slides get so hot. I would like to see something that includes shade, so kids could safely go down the slides without burning themselves. If you go to a [Cicero] park on a really hot day, those slides are dangerous. Parks need slides that are also functional.
And while I appreciate the sentiment of wanting to be more inclusive, I just wouldn't go to [Ability Park] because I don't feel like it was targeted toward me or my family. The park is set along a really busy street in Laramie. I don't know what other guardrails have been put in place to ensure community members can [move] from one side of Laramie to the other, because that parking lot is not very big, and if the parking lot gets full, then people have to park across the street.
It makes me think about when the city and the state were going back and forth about building outdoor migrant camps in the McKinley Park area, and it was discovered that there were contaminants there. I do not know if those contaminants were similar to what was found in [Ability Park], but what comes to mind for me is this: if there was outrage about not putting people on contaminated land, why would we be okay with opening a park that serves a really vulnerable population in our town? Why has there not been more outreach in our community about this happening?
Disclosure: Brenda B., who participated in an interview for this reporting, has previously donated to Cicero Independiente.
Leslie Hurtado is a contributing reporter with Cicero Independiente. She graduated with a B.A. in Communications at Northeastern Illinois University. She worked at several news rooms including WBEZ, WTTW, Telemundo and City Bureau.
Want to read more stories like this? Consider donating to support our work. Your money goes directly towards paying journalists of color to report on local news.
SUBSCRIBE
Bringing you news from the 60804
We respect your privacy and will only use your information to send you our latest posts.