Posted 6 years ago in Trending
2 MIN READ - There was a time when the Chicago River was the last place anyone in the city wanted to hang out. Known for pollution and crime, the thought of recreating in or along the water would have made any Chicagoan raise their eyebrows. But over the past eight years, the Chicago Riverwalk has become an iconic public space.
“The Chicago Riverwalk has transformed the Chicago River into the city’s next great recreational frontier,” said Mayor Rahm Emanuel in 2018. “It’s a way for residents and visitors to embrace Chicago’s beauty and culture like never before and experience the best the city has to offer—from iconic architecture to great food and festivals.”
The extent of the Riverwalk’s success is above and beyond what was even imagined. Now, it is home to successful, growing businesses. Improvements are underway on its east end to make it accessible and vibrant. And this September, as many as 100 people will participate in the first in the river in more than 100 years—a testament to the efforts that have been made to clean up the water itself.
On May 22, from 7:30-9:15 a.m., Chicago Loop Alliance will host its first Downtown Futures Series event of 2019, Changes at the Riverwalk: The Evolution of Chicago’s Latest Iconic Public Space. David Broz, principal at Gensler and Vice President of the Chicago Loop Alliance Board of Directors, will moderate a conversation with panelists Josh Ellis, Vice President of the Metropolitan Planning Council; Mark Stern, Founder of Island Party Hut; and Michelle Woods, Assistant Project Director of the City of Chicago’s Department of Fleet and Facility Management.
