Celebration is in conjunction with the national organization Rails to Trails Conservancy (RTC), the nation’s largest trail, walking and biking advocacy organization.
CHICAGO, IL, April 22, 2025 /24-7PressRelease/ — The Bronzeville Trail Task Force (BTTF) is hosting a press conference to share details and historical perspectives in the development of the new Bronzeville Trail elevated park for walking, running, and biking. The celebration is in conjunction with the national organization Rails to Trails Conservancy (RTC), the nation’s largest trail, walking and biking advocacy organization. RTC is calling on people across the country to get outside on trails this spring to celebrate the many ways that trails and connected trail networks make a difference in people’s lives. The City of Chicago has confirmed the Kenwood “L” embankment for the future Bronzeville Cultural Trail. Afterwards, a rally in the park will include music, remarks by elected officials, other speakers, snacks, giveaways, and more.
John E. Adams, CPA, Director and BTTF Founder; BTTF board members, elected officials, institutional representatives, and community residents will join in the national celebration on Saturday, April 26, 2025, gathering at 10:00 a.m. at 40th and Drexel Blvd. in Chicago, IL. They will step-off towards Williams-Davis Park, 4101 S. Lake Park Ave. and commence with the press conference and Rally in Park for Trails Day Celebration.
This health initiative and economic development project was launched by the BTTF, in September 2020, a not-for-profit organization comprised of Bronzeville residential, institutional, and legacy stakeholders. The project will prove to be the most transformative and catalytic project in the history of Bronzeville.
On Saturday, April 26, community residents, friends, supporters, and stakeholders, along with business and civic leaders, will join together to celebrate BTTF’s Bronzeville Cultural Trail development progress. The Bronzeville Cultural Trail project is designed to bring life and vitality to an incredible community asset that has historical significance to the Great Black Migration and the Chicago Union Stock Yards. When complete, the trail will provide unencumbered access to the lakefront while improving the health and wellness, as well as the economic growth, around the area.
In 2024, the Mellon Foundation awarded a three-year, $900,000 grant to BTTF in support of their efforts. The BTTF received $75,000 from Chicago Community Trust in 2022 for predevelopment planning. Also in 2022, the City of Chicago invested $250,000 to determine the feasibility of the project. Last month, the Chicago Department of Planning and Development issued a task order to a pre-qualified list of firms for the Bronzeville Cultural Trail “Framework Plan.” Bids could not exceed $750,000.
Furthermore, the organization anticipates that the city and county will invest more than $5.5 million over the next couple of years to fund the initial phase of the construction project. Total cost of the Bronzeville Trail is expected to be around $100 million, comparable to the cost of the Bloomingdale 606 Trail on the north side of Chicago, which opened in 2016.
About Bronzeville Trail Task Force (BTTF):
The BTTF is a non-profit organization composed of a 23-member board. Founded in 2020, the organization’s purpose and goals are: to sponsor and promote open communication on matters relating to the Bronzeville Cultural Trail; to advocate for, facilitate, and support opportunities for direct community engagement; to ensure a healthy balance between the Bronzeville Cultural Trail as a neighborhood amenity and a regional and international attraction; to investigate and preserve the history and life of the Bronzeville community; to assist in raising funds and securing resources; and to become the stewards of the Bronzeville Cultural Trail. Contact BTTF at Bronzevilletrail@gmail.com. Learn more by visiting https://www.bronzevilletrail.org/
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