The Chicago Park District has taken the first official step toward renaming a Washington Park playground after Ronald "Ronnieman" Johnson, a South Side man shot and killed by Chicago police in October 2014. At a recent board meeting, commissioners signed off on starting a 45-day public notice period for the small playlot at 53rd Street and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. Johnson’s mother and local organizers, who have spent years pushing for a memorial at the site where he died, are behind the proposal.
Park District Kicks Off 45-Day Naming Clock
Under Park District rules, renaming a park is a two-step process that begins with a 45-day Phase I notice period. During that window, the district gathers feedback from nearby residents and park advisory councils, with notices posted at the park fieldhouse or the closest fieldhouse if the park does not have one. Those comments help determine whether a proposal advances to a final board vote in Phase II. The full timeline and instructions for weighing in are laid out by the Chicago Park District, which explains how both phases work in detail.
Family And Neighbors Lead The Push
Johnson’s mother, Dorothy Holmes, joined with Chicago Torture Justice Center executive director Aislinn Pulley to formally ask that the playground be renamed in his honor. The request caps years of organizing to keep Johnson’s memory in the public eye and to reclaim the area as a gathering place for kids and families. Holmes has organized annual toy and school-supply drives in his name, and backers say a renamed playground would cement that work in the landscape of the neighborhood. Interviews and profiles documenting Holmes’s efforts and the broader grassroots campaign have been collected by the Chicago Torture Justice Center.
2014 Shooting Still Contested
The shooting that claimed Johnson’s life remains a source of dispute. The Cook County State’s Attorney’s office has said officers saw Johnson holding a gun and that one officer fired five shots. Johnson’s relatives and their attorneys have long challenged that narrative. According to CBS Chicago, family lawyers and a later forensic review questioned the way authorities enhanced and interpreted dash-cam video that prosecutors cited when they declined to bring criminal charges. Then-State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez chose not to file charges, and supporters of the renaming say a memorial playground would both honor Johnson and acknowledge that many in the community still see the case as unresolved.
Humboldt Park Site To Bear Sister Patty’s Name
The board also signed off on a separate renaming on the West Side. Park No. 514, at 1420 N. Monticello Ave., is set to be renamed for Sister Patricia "Patty" Fillenwarth, a Humboldt Park educator who founded Providence Family Services. According to the Sisters of Providence, Fillenwarth ran bilingual counseling, after-school tutoring, and adult English and citizenship classes for decades, with Providence Family Services ultimately serving nearly 10,000 people. Her ministry and neighborhood work are detailed in a profile from the Sisters of Providence.
What Happens After Public Comment
For now, the clock is ticking on the 45-day comment period, giving neighbors and park users a formal chance to speak up in support or opposition. Once the notice period ends, Park District staff will review the feedback and decide whether to send the Johnson proposal back to the board for a Phase II vote and potential final approval. Residents can read the district’s naming rules and submit input through the Chicago Park District. If the board ultimately signs off on the new name, the district will handle new signage and update its official listings to match.
