After 10 years in the making, Curbed Chicago reports that the Bloomingdale Trail, also known as the 606, opened to the public last weekend.
The 2.7-mile stretch repurposes an abandoned elevated train track that snakes through Humboldt Park and Bucktown.
Funded partly with a $50 million federal grant, the project cost near $100 million.
To celebrate the opening of Chicago’s very own High-Line-inspired park, a ribbon cutting and art programs were scheduled last weekend.
Here's more on the project, from The606.org:
The 606 is a decade in the making.As train traffic slowed on the Bloomingdale Line in the 1990s, attention turned to how the train line might be used to increase much-needed green space. The City of Chicago brought residents together to discuss an area of particular concern – Logan Square, a neighborhood that, at the time, had the least amount of open space per capita of any in Chicago.
Despite the neighborhood’s historic boulevards, Logan Square needed an additional 99 acres of active open space just to be brought up to City minimums. The City’s proposal to convert the Bloomingdale Line to a park was included in the 2004 Logan Square Open Space Plan, which prompted the Chicago Department of Transportation to begin applying for federal transportation funding for the project.
Milwaukee bridge after pier removal. Photo: The606.org
The City’s proposal prompted neighbors to form Friends of the Bloomingdale Trail, an organization whose vision and mission were key to creating The 606. The group created a groundswell of community support not just in Logan Square, but in the other neighborhoods surrounding the rail line: Humboldt Park, Bucktown and Wicker Park. Knowing the Trust for Public Land’s work creating Haas Park in Logan Square, members of the Friends of the Bloomingdale Trail reached out to the national non-profit, which helped bring together a coalition of city and civic organizations to move the project forward.
The alliance of the City of Chicago, Chicago Park District, The Trust for Public Land, and dozens of groups is turning the idea for a trail into a park and trail system to connect four Chicago neighborhoods and create innovative park space for thousands of residents and visitors alike.
Using its expertise in land conservation, creating urban parks and community collaboration, The Trust for Public Land hosted numerous community meetings, including a three-day design charrette in 2011. Community input into design and function has been a hallmark of The 606 process. Numerous public meetings brought community input into the park and trail system’s design, function, and aesthetics of the parks, trail, and event spaces. That process culminated in an unveiling of the final design plans and overarching project name in June of 2013.
The park and trail system is also the signature project of Mayor Emanuel and his push to create 800 new parks, recreation areas and green spaces throughout Chicago. The City of Chicago and The Chicago Park District, and The Trust for Public Land have provided the financial, cooperative, and logistical strength to move this public-private partnership from a dream into reality.
The 606 brings together arts, history, design, trails for bikers, runners, and walkers, event spaces, alternative transportation avenues, and green, open space for neighbors, Chicagoans, and the world. We look forward to sharing The 606 with you and your family.
Read the full report on Curbed Chicago, and visit the 606 website for more information about the grand opening weekend.
Photo: The606.org
Related Stories
Performing Arts Centers | Jun 30, 2017
L.A.’s John Anson Ford Amphitheater might finally be ready for its close-up
The performing arts venue, nearly a century old, has undergone an extensive refurbishing.
Building Team | Jun 27, 2017
Bruner Foundation announces 2017 Rudy Bruner Award for Urban Excellence gold and silver medalists
The SteelStacks Arts and Cultural Campus in Bethlehem, Pa., receives the gold medal and $50,000.
Libraries | May 31, 2017
A year after its facelift, Boston’s Public Library is relevant again
Visitors are flocking to its brighter, connected halls, which now include retail and digital components.
Cultural Facilities | May 25, 2017
The Shed, a multi-arts center on New York’s west side, moves forward in construction and funding
The facility, designed for maximum programming flexibility, includes a massive movable shell.
Cultural Facilities | May 4, 2017
Obama Foundation reveals first look at the Obama Presidential Center
The design comprises three buildings set in the public space of Jackson Park on Chicago’s South Side.
Performing Arts Centers | Mar 6, 2017
An oval defines the Frank Gehry-designed Pierre Boulez Saal concert hall
The hall hosted its debut concert on Saturday, March 4 with a performance by the Boulez Ensemble.
Cultural Facilities | Mar 2, 2017
The Hanoi Lotus Centre will bloom from the middle of a lake
The building will act as a symbol of growth and prosperity for the city of Hanoi.
Cultural Facilities | Jan 30, 2017
Former windmill factory proposed as new ‘vibrant culture house’
The transformed building would provide space for street sports, street culture, and street art.
Cultural Facilities | Dec 14, 2016
Institutions aggressively targeting private donors to fund construction projects
Capital campaigns abound, even though government financing still plays a vital role.
Cultural Facilities | Oct 27, 2016
Zaha Hadid Architects’ Urban Heritage Administration Centre takes its design from the surrounding desert
The futuristic curves that have become a staple for ZHA-designed buildings are also on full display.