Community volunteers fundraise, the proposed Bronzeville Trail one step closer to a reality

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A group of community volunteers are one step closer to making the Bronzeville Trail a reality for their South Side neighborhood.

"The trail will allow them to ride their bikes, walk, and run safely without traffic interference. It will bring communities together," said John Adams, Bronzeville Trail Project founder.

The Bronzeville Task Force used its inaugural celebratory luncheon to not only posthumously honored community activist Harold Lucas, but also jump start a fundraising campaign for the linear park, similar to the Bloomingdale 606 Trail on the North Side.

"We want people from all over the world to come and visit the trail," said Walter Freeman, Bronzeville Trail Task Force chair.

The group has already received a $75,000 grant for the project which could cost as much as $100 million to complete in the next 7 or 8 years. Another group tried to do the same thing in 2005, but failed.

Now, the trail will run from W. 40th Street and Dearborn Street, and run roughly two miles to E. 41st Place and S. Lake Park Avenue.

Shuttered in 1957, the abandoned Kenwood CTA train station would be converted too, creating a spoke to the lakefront bike trail.

Bronzeville historian Sherry Williams said the location is a community asset and is tied to both the great Black migration and the Chicago Union Stock Yards.

"Those abandoned elevated tell a story way beyond the migration physically, but it talks about the work that we did when we arrived," said Williams, the Bronzeville Historical Society founder and president.

Hopefully now it can bring a vitality and life back to Bronzeville.

"We're taking about building history and building bridges, and keeping an ongoing community flow," said Bronzeville resident, Babette Peyton.