South Side Sanctuary: A Place for Outdoor Recreation, Exploring Creativity, and Improving Wellbeing

Our environment has a huge impact on our well-being. Research has shown that access to outdoor amenities can reduce stress and improve physical and mental health. However, in city environments, these amenities are more likely to be located in predominantly white neighborhoods, while communities of color often don’t have the same options.  

Recognizing the need for more amenities and green space on Chicago’s South Side, a group of leaders came together in 2016 to create a community hub where residents could meet up, enjoy wellness and sports recreation activities, and get in touch with their creative side. Led by I Am Your Village, the nonprofit arm of the business development firm The Nascent Group, and OASES, a regenerative development firm, the planning team identified an empty lot in Bronzeville that had remained unused for over a decade.  

Because of the neighborhood’s rich cultural history, OASES CEO and Founder Jasmine Michaels said Bronzeville was the perfect location to work with community on creating an accessible third space. “Our challenge was exploring how to bring in resources so that residents can have access to the same beautiful spaces that you can find in other areas of the city,” she said. The project received funding support from the City of Chicago’s Recovery Plan as part of its efforts to promote economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.  

After years of development, the South Side Sanctuary was officially unveiled to the public in a ribbon-cutting ceremony in August 2024 that was attended by Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, Ciere Boatright, commissioner of the Chicago Department of Planning and Development, Ald. Pat Dowell (3^rd), and close to 1,000 residents. The Sanctuary boasts 13,000 square feet of green space and was designed for multi-purpose use.  

South Side Sanctuary currently offers four programming areas: sports and recreation, arts and culture, integrative wellness, and entrepreneurship and innovation. This includes programs like restorative yoga where participants can improve flexibility and learn meditative practices for their well-being, and market pop-up events to bring awareness to local vendors. Additionally, residents can rent the space for events.  

Michaels says programming encompasses various needs the community surfaced during the planning process.  

 “What we found was that a lot of people were asking for mental health and wellness resources – stress was a major challenge for them,” she said. “But on the other side, they were equally asking for economic investment and opportunities to develop their financial independence and stability. So, the Sanctuary seeks to do both.”  

This past fall, the South Side Sanctuary received the Food for the Soul Award by Illinois Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton. The award was part of a greater effort by the Lt. Governor’s office to recognize leaders and organizations advancing equity and access in healthcare.  

While most of the Sanctuary’s funding came from the City of Chicago’s Recovery Plan, the Trust’s also provided grant support under our Community Wealth strategy. According to Program Manager Edwin Tobar, this grant is part of a more intentional effort around place-based funding – supporting projects that improve a community by creating new public spaces or revitalizing existing ones. In addition to offering well-rounded programs and amenities to residents, he says the Sanctuary presents an opportunity to spur more economic revitalization in the area. 

“We are looking to create an environment that makes a community more attractive for people to visit and, ultimately, get more investment,” he said.