Saturday, October 4, 2025

From Boxing Flame-out to Center of the Ring: Ramirez-Rosa Picked for Chicago’s New Parks Boss

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From Boxing Flame-out to Center of the Ring: Ramirez-Rosa Picked for Chicago’s New Parks Boss

New Challenges Ahead

When Carlos Ramirez-Rosa was 7, his father signed him up for boxing lessons at Hamlin Park.

“He had a dream of me becoming the next great Puerto Rican boxer,” Ramirez-Rosa said. “Unfortunately, it did not work out. I went to my first training and I cried the entire day.”

Twenty-nine years after that traumatic experience, Carlos Ramirez-Rosa will be in the center of the administrative ring, running boxing and other recreational programs across the city.

He’s Mayor Brandon Johnson’s choice to replace Rosa Escareno as superintendent and CEO of the Chicago Park District.

A New Era at the Park District

“I’m sad about leaving the City Council and serving as alderman. I am. There’s so many wonderful people I’ve worked with at the local level and at City Hall,” Ramirez-Rosa, 36, told the Sun-Times.

“But to have the opportunity to serve the 2.7 million people of this city to ensure that our children have wonderful programming? The 8,800 acres of green space, the 600 parks — to have the opportunity to improve and protect that was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up,”

A Focus on Homelessness, Safety, and Equity

Referring to the investigation into rampant sexual harassment and abuse by lifeguards at the city’s pools and beaches, Ramirez-Rosa said Escareno “came in at a very difficult time for the parks” and did an “amazing job.”

But it’s time to take a system that includes 26 miles of lakefront beaches to the next level, Ramirez-Rosa says.

“My conversation with the mayor has been around his priorities for the parks. He wants me to address homelessness in the parks. He wants me to ensure that our parks are safe spaces for young people. He wants me to expand youth opportunities. He wants me to ensure that we have equitable facility and capital improvements, He wants to grow public-private partnerships,”

Deferred Maintenance and Homeless Encampments

“There is a lot of need for deferred maintenance,” Ramirez-Rosa adds. “There are field houses open during the summer that don’t have air-conditioning. There are a number of projects that, while they have received either state capital dollars or local TIF dollars, we’re still waiting for construction work to begin.”

Ramirez-Rosa pointed to the “coordinated outreach” to remove a homeless encampment at Fireman’s Park and find those residents permanent housing. The same approach was used for more than 100 unhoused people camping at Humboldt Park.

A New Era of Leadership

Cristina Pacione-Zayas, Johnson’s chief of staff, has known Ramirez-Rosa since college at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign.

Pacione-Zayas said he was chosen for the Park District job partly because of his “deep community roots” and “track record of being able to bring together various stakeholders” to solve problems. Sensitively dismantling the homeless encampment at Fireman’s Park was a classic example.

Johnson Will Appoint Council Successor

Ramirez-Rosa’s resignation from the Council creates a vacancy Johnson will fill by appointment after receiving recommendations from a community-based selection committee.

Speculation centers around Cook County Commissioner Anthony Quezada, who spent more than six years as Ramirez-Rosa’s neighborhood services director.

The Park District board has scheduled an “emergency” meeting for Friday, presumably to vote on Ramirez-Rosa’s appointment.

Conclusion

As the new head of the Chicago Park District, Carlos Ramirez-Rosa faces a series of challenges, from addressing homelessness and safety concerns to ensuring that the 2.7 million people of Chicago have access to quality recreational programs and facilities.

With his background in community organizing and his experience working with various stakeholders, Ramirez-Rosa is well-equipped to tackle these challenges and lead the Park District into a new era of growth and innovation.

FAQs

Q: What are the biggest challenges facing the Chicago Park District?

A: Addressing homelessness, ensuring safety in the parks, and implementing equitable facility and capital improvements are among the top priorities for the new head of the Chicago Park District.

Q: What is the process for selecting a new alderman to replace Ramirez-Rosa?

A: Mayor Brandon Johnson will appoint a new alderman after receiving recommendations from a community-based selection committee.

Q: What is the timeline for Ramirez-Rosa’s appointment as head of the Park District?

A: The Park District board has scheduled an “emergency” meeting for Friday to vote on Ramirez-Rosa’s appointment.

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