Bronzeville Trail Task Force Celebrates Progress on $100 Million Urban Renewal Project

The Bronzeville Trail Task Force will hold its third annual Installation and Awards Luncheon to celebrate the progress made toward converting the abandoned Kenwood "L" line embankment into a health-enhancing biking and walking trail for Chicago's south side residents. The 1.75-mile trail project, constructed in part by black laborers during the Great Migration and neglected for nearly 70 years, represents a $100 million investment in community revitalization.

According to John E. Adams, CPA, founder and executive director of the Bronzeville Trail Task Force, "The city's $5 million commitment last year to both activate and begin phase one construction along with the enthusiastic support of this year's honorees means the Bronzeville Trail is well on its way to becoming a reality for the south side." Adams emphasized that the trail will prove to be "the most catalytic and transformative project in the history of Bronzeville" and may induce over $1 billion in additional investment.

The luncheon will honor several key supporters including Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, the first Black woman to hold the office and one of the first elected officials to support the project. Other honorees include Dr. Maria Villalobos-Hernandez, associate professor and Director of the Master of Landscape Architecture and Urbanism at Illinois Tech College of Architecture, Chicago architect Vernon Williams, R.A., and multinational design firm SmithGroup, one of the founding members of the BTTF Development Committee.

Featured speakers at the event include Ciere Boatwright, Commissioner of the Chicago Department of Planning and Development, and Doug Monieson, CEO of UICO, LLC and board member of both the Bronzeville Trail Task Force and the Rails to Trails Conservancy. The mission of the Task Force is to create a vibrant, sustainable community space that supports wildlife, reduces pollution, and celebrates local culture, history, and ecology while serving as community stewards for the Bronzeville Trail corridor.