Alfred Caldwell Lily Pool opening on April 30th

11 Apr Alfred Caldwell Lily Pool opening on April 30th

The Alfred Caldwell Lily Pool will be open from Sunday April 30th to Sunday October 8th this year.

As many of you know one of our 2022 Annual Fund goals was to raise money for a Lily Pool “refresh.” We met and exceeded all our fundraising goals this year (thank you!) and that refresh is well underway. But you may not notice any huge changes, that’s because the Lily Pool is a registered National Historic Landmark. With sites like the Lily Pool, they must remain the same (or very similar) as when they were registered (in most cases) so our work is a bit incognito. We’ve been able to use your support to make a huge impact on the longevity of the Lily Pool in ways you may not even see. We are working hard to complete all the parts of our refresh, but it will require the Lily Pool to remain closed a little longer than usual and close a little earlier than usual this October.

The “refresh” project of the Alfred Caldwell Lily Pool commemorates the twentieth anniversary of the Conservancy’s and Chicago Park District’s restoration of the site. The work includes restoration of the historic pavilions and gate, repair of the drainage system, upgrades to signage and fencing, along with clearing of dead or damaged trees and new plantings. The project demonstrates Conservancy’s commitment to maintain Alfred Caldwell’s original vision for the Lily Pool, including through the plant enhancements in areas where much of the herbaceous layer has been lost over the years.

We hope to see you all there on April 30th when we can finally open those big wood doors!