Everyday Enclaves: Ping Tom Memorial Park in Chicago Named the Top Public Space Illinoisans Want to Live Near, Report Finds.

• Survey of 3,013 homebuyers on the public spaces that most influence home-buying decisions.
• Ping Tom Memorial Park followed by Fox River Trail (Geneva) + Giddings Plaza (Chicago).
• Interactive map included.

Home buying isn’t just about square footage or finishes – it’s about how people imagine living day to day. From morning walks along a river path to weekend time in a town square, public spaces increasingly shape where buyers want to put down roots. To explore how strongly this influences purchasing decisions, Calgary Homes, a real estate platform, commissioned a survey of 3,013 homebuyers, examining the role public spaces play in home-buying preferences, and identifying the most underrated public spaces that make people want to live nearby.

Below are the 3 public spaces that homebuyers in Illinois said have the strongest impact on neighborhood desirability:

#1. Ping Tom Memorial Park, Chicago
Ping Tom Memorial Park plays a quiet but important role in how daily life unfolds in Chicago’s Chinatown. Locals use it in small, repeatable ways – sitting by the river, walking through between errands, or pausing outdoors without committing to a long stay. That regular use softens the density of the surrounding streets. For buyers considering nearby homes, the park adds emotional reassurance, signaling that everyday life includes accessible green space rather than relying solely on indoor living.

#2. Fox River Trail, Geneva
The Fox River Trail shapes daily life in Geneva by making outdoor access feel normal rather than planned. Locals step onto the trail for short walks, cycling, or unwinding at the end of the day, often without driving anywhere. For buyers, proximity to a long, continuous trail suggests a lifestyle where movement and open space are built into everyday routines. That sense of ease can play a meaningful role in choosing a home nearby.

#3. Giddings Plaza, Chicago
Giddings Plaza works as an outdoor living room for Lincoln Square, supporting everyday movement rather than spectacle. Neighbors pass through on walks, stop briefly with coffee, or sit and watch the neighborhood move around them. Its steady presence helps soften city density without removing energy. Buyers looking nearby often see the plaza as a signal that the area values shared space and daily interaction, which makes committing to the neighborhood feel more intuitive.

Interactive map exploring the public spaces that quietly influence where homebuyers most want to live (click on ’embed’ to host on your site)

“When people talk about ‘location, location, location,’ they are rarely referring to the granite countertops – they are talking about the feeling a neighborhood gives them”, says a spokesperson from Calgary Homes. “Our research shows that the most influential public spaces aren’t flashy destinations but the everyday places that quietly support a good life. Buyers want to live near spaces they will actually use, not just admire.”