In 1994, discussions were starting to see if the Park District of Forest Park could manage all the parks in town. The four village-managed pocket parks at the time included the one at Randolph and Circle.
After a survey, the park district, which managed The Park on Harrison, received high praise, but the village-managed pocket parks had “several disparaging remarks,” and naturally, “many residents often confuse them with the park properties.”
Park District Director David Novak remarked, “We put all our resources into recreation. We don’t have to worry about street lighting, police protection, etc.”
Village Commissioner Jerry Jacknow explained the village had been working every year to upgrade the pocket parks, adding one piece of equipment per lot per year. The village’s “top priority isn’t the tot lots,” he said, “but we try to go out and fix something whenever we get a call.”
In 2012 the village rededicated this park as “Remembrance Park,” in honor of four men, Officer Edward Pflaume, Lt. Herman Ziebell, Officer Michael Caufield, and Fire Department Captain Frank Schnurstein, who died in service to the village over the decades.
An agreement was made between the village and park district in 2020 to have all the pocket parks managed by the park district.
Photo: The village pocket park at Randolph and Cirle in 1994. Photo by Frank Pinc, Forest Park Review archive, May 18, 1994
