Since we restored the Alfred Caldwell Lily Pool in the early 2000’s, the Lily Pool has been managed through a joint effort of the Conservancy and the Chicago Park District. Twenty years post-restoration, heavy visitorship and Chicago winters have taken a toll. Accordingly, our 20th anniversary “refresh” of the site began in 2022 and to date, we have invested in new plantings, tree care and infrastructure improvements. This fall, we closed the Lily Pool early to begin work on an important project: rebuilding the wooden pavilions so that they stand strong for the next twenty years. 

With your help, the Lincoln Park Conservancy will complete the renovation of the Alfred Caldwell Lily Pool’s historic pavilions this fall and winter. As a National and Chicago Historic Landmark site, the Conservancy appreciates that Caldwell’s pavilion structures need to be conserved with utmost care to maintain aesthetic consistency; this includes ensuring that materials used in restoration work are “like-for-like” with the pavilion’s original features including copper and redwood roofing components and white oak timbers. As you can imagine, the specialized nature of the work and materials make the pavilion restoration the most expensive component of the twentieth anniversary “refresh” project. That’s where you come in. Your donation will help preserve one of Lincoln Park’s most important cultural features. It will also ensure the Lily Pool opens to visitors in time for the 2024 season. The Lincoln Park Conservancy thanks you for your partnership to complete this legacy project in the Park.