Abby Crisostomo
The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District's Sidestream Elevated Pool Aeration Station serves as a functional yet visually attractive component of Blue Island's waterfront.
By Josh Ellis and MPC Research Assistant Paolo Cisneros - October 11, 2013
A previously out-of-sight, out-of-mind stretch along the Cal-Sag Channel in south suburban Blue Island, Ill., is set to be transformed into an inviting and usable space that emphasizes proper stewardship of the Chicago waterway system while simultaneously improving quality of life for area residents.
A navigation channel that links the Little Calumet River with the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal, the Cal-Sag serves as an important component of the Chicago region's transportation infrastructure. Opportunities for recreation along the riverfront, however, are currently few and far between.
But following the recent lease of 130 riverfront acres by the City of Blue Island from the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, the effort to revitalize the area officially kicked off last month with a set of stakeholder meetings at Blue Island City Hall. Ideas ranging from new recreational opportunities to environmental reclamation were the focus of the sessions, which were attended by members of both the public and private sectors. The Metropolitan Planning Council (MPC) helped facilitate the meetings as part of its communications role in the revitalization.
Based on the idea that a welcoming waterfront can serve as an important driver in building and maintaining vibrant communities and public spaces, Blue Island city officials have pushed the project as a means of finally capitalizing on their historically underutilized resource. While already the site of competitive rowing events and several other forms of recreational activities, participants at the recent meetings said the potential for the waterfront extends far beyond what currently exists.
Through the early phases of the project, planners have stressed the importance of soliciting feedback from as many people as possible so as to maximize the waterfront’s appeal and ultimately create a space that is conducive to a wide array of uses. One of Blue Island’s great strengths lies in its diverse population—2010 Census data indicate the city’s population is roughly 41 percent white, 30 percent black and 27 percent Latino—and project planners hope to draft a final vision for the Cal-Sag waterfront that reflects that diversity.
The riverfront planning process coincides with the upcoming development of the Cal-Sag Trail, a 26-mile path from Lemont, Ill., roughly 30 miles southwest of Chicago, to the Burnham Greenway near the Indiana border. That project, combined with several existing assets such as Blue Island’s several Metra stations and its location along Western Avenue, will help jumpstart the effort to draw people to a revitalized waterfront.
Moving forward, MPC will aid the City of Blue Island and project leads Weaver Boos Consultants and Smith Group JJR in soliciting feedback from neighbors and others who stand to benefit from the effort about their hopes for the waterfront and the area that surrounds it. Ultimately, planners aim to foster the development of a space that is compatible with their desires and which also helps spur economic development throughout the Chicago Southland region.
MPC is currently working to schedule a series of place audits, during which members of the public will visit locales along the channel to discuss potential projects and methods of transforming the area into a public destination. Dates for these and other public outreach sessions will be announced in the near future. MPC staff will also be present at upcoming community events in Blue Island to gauge interest in potential improvements and to collect input through a number of in-person and online feedback sessions.
MPC’s relationship with Blue Island has solidified in recent years thanks to a series of projects such as the implementation of green infrastructure, stormwater managment measures and transit-oriented development planning. MPC staff look forward to working with Blue Island residents in the coming weeks to help create an accessible, inviting and scenic front yard for the community.
MPC Research Assistant Paolo Cisneros authored this post.