A Storied History at 3450 W. Maple Street

It stands quietly, around the corner from the Community Center, down a picturesque little lane not far from Circle Park, and has done so for almost seventy years. It even shares the same numerical address as the Community Center…three-four-five-o.

But the sprawling brick structure, which is the centerpiece of the short block, and now known as the Village's MapleWell Center, has a long history.

Evergreen Park has long been known as the “Village of Churches”. At one point, in 1968, there were twelve active churches in the neighborhood; thirteen, if you include St. John Fisher, which serves many families within the Evergreen Park boundaries.

One of the churches, Park Lane Christian Reformed Church, was formed in 1953, and the building at 3450 W. Maple Street was dedicated in 1955. The church and congregation had been considered “cousins” to Evergreen Park Christian Reformed Church on Homan Avenue, from which many of its congregation members had been drawn.

The two churches were an integral part of the community for over fifty years. Park Lane was a beautiful, storied neighborhood church that was home to generations of Evergreen Park families. Their “Sonshine Express” Christian Preschool Program was very popular for many years.

But, unfortunately, dwindling congregations at both churches lead to desperate measures, and EPCRC and Park Lane CRC merged into Grace Community Church in Oak Lawn. In 2006, the Village of Evergreen Park purchased the EPRCR location and refurbished it into what is now the Evergreen Park Senior Center.

The Park Lane building eventually became Jacob’s Well Community Church, and, renovations were made. The smaller congregation met in what had been the Fellowship Hall, and the sanctuary was developed into a banquet hall. But after a short time, the church soon felt the need to move on.

In 2022, the Village of Evergreen Park purchased the Park Lane building with the intent to reconstruct it as a new, up-to-date Activity Center. This satisfied a need, as the Village’s original Activity Center, just off of Kedzie Avenue, at 97th, had seen better days. That 97th Street property was sold and demolished.

Now, fully rebuilt and newly christened as the MapleWell Center, the Park Lane building is home to Evergreen Park Recreation Department sports programs. And a multitude of programs make their home at MapleWell! At any given time, you can see Adult and Kids Basketball, Soccer, T-Ball, Tumbling or Volleyball. Our Youth Department utilizes the space for Open Gym. Pickleball for kids or adults has become a hot item. While Pickleball courts are busy at Duffy Park, the MapleWell Center provides a nice, indoor alternative.

Now that the Recreation Dept has started its summer camps, many of those activities are held at the new location.

At any given time, you will see a group of residents lined up and waiting excitedly at the beautiful building at 3450 W. Maple Street, much as they did seventy years ago when the Park Lane Christian Reformed Church building first opened its doors.

Check out the Rec Department Program Book and see what’s happening at MapleWell!