Harold Washington Park is a small (10 acre) park in the Chicago Park District located in the Hyde Park community area on the South Side of Chicago, Illinois, US. In 1992, it was named for Harold Washington (1922–1987), the first African-American Chicago Mayor. The Park District officially calls the park Harold Washington Playlot Park with a designated address of 5200 S. Hyde Park Blvd Chicago, IL 60615. It is one of 4 Chicago Park District parks named after persons surnamed Washington (Washington Park, Washington Square Park, Dinah Washington Park). It is one of 40 Chicago Park District parks named after influential African Americans. The Park is bounded by East 53rd Street on the south, South Hyde Park Boulevard on the west, and Lake Shore Drive to the east. Architecturally, it is flanked to the north by Regents Park and The Hampton House to the south. Its southwest corner opposes two National Register of Historic Places Properties: Hotel Del Prado and East Park Towers. History The park was originally bequeathed to the city in 1906 by Paul Cornell as commemorated by the Paul Cornell Stone. It was then called East End Park. In 1919, it was transferred to the South Park Commission. In 1927, it became part of Burnham Park. The park district renamed the site Harold Washington Park in 1992. Until recently (c. 2004) when Park District signs were posted it had been referred to as Cornell Park by many local residents. Facilities The park is mostly used by picnicking neighborhood residents and is particularly popular during the summer holidays (Memorial Day, July 4, Labor Day). The park has 8 tennis courts, an elaborate soft surface children's playground, a bathhouse and a boat pond. The park is best known for its South American monk parakeet nests. At 51st street, there is an overpass leading from the park to the bike path between Lake Shore Drive and Lake Michigan. Boat Pond The boat pond is mistakenly referred to as a duck pond by many local residents because it is frequented during the summer by ducks and is rarely used for recreational model boats. However, the pond has no aquatic or plant life forms (excluding weeds protruding through former cracks in the seal) to support ducks. In 2006, the pool was designated for repair and was not filled. Reconstruction began in the fall with the pool being resurfaced. A fountain and sculpture