Yesterday, Mayor Emanuel and the Chicago Park District announced the beginning of phase 1 work on Big Marsh Park — a truly awesome new project to benefit Chicago's far southeast side.
The 268 acre, $30 million eco-recreation gem will be "a playground for cycling," featuring "family-friendly bike trails as well as world-class venues for mountain biking, cyclocross racing, and trail riding within minutes of southeast Chicago communities, and just 20 minutes from the Chicago Loop."
Big Marsh Park will also have a treetop adventure course (think rope courses and zip lines) and fishing and canoeing access.
Active Trans was glad to be in attendance at the event that took place on Thursday at the site where the park will be built.
The effort will be a public-private partnership, with Active Trans friend and supporter SRAM Corporation leading the private sector fundraising effort. Other project partners include Trails for Illinois, International Mountain Biking Association and Hitchcock Design Group.
You can learn more and sign on as a one of the Friends of Big Marsh here! There's also a video highlighting some features of the park here.