the illinois prairie path...

September 2018 / Stay Connected: www.ipp.org, [email protected], Facebook, or 630-752-0120

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You'reInvited!

IllinoisPrairiePathPhotobyChuckHunnicutt

TOPIC:TrailConnectChicagolandCampaign

SPEAKER:MattGomez,TrailAdvocacyDirector,ActiveTransportationAlliance

ArecentheadlineintheDailyHerald:"100Milesoftrailsinsuburbs;

but200milesofgaps"

CometotheIllinoisPrairiePath'sAnnualMeetingandmeetMattGomezwhoisbringingtogetherelectedofficials,localandfederalgovernmententities,regionalplanningbodies,andengagedcommunitymemberstoidentifyandfillgapsintheregionaltrailnetwork.

Mattbelievesthat,whilethisprocesswilltaketimetoaccomplish,itisessentialtoestablishanengagedcoalitiontodrive-forwardthislong-termobjective.AttendtheAnnualMeetinganddiscoverhowyoucanhelpsecure200milesofnewtrails.

Click:http://activetrans.org/our-work/bicycling/trail-connect-chicagoland

RememberingBettyNemec,PathHistorian

BettyNemec,oneofthePathFounders,passedawayonMonday,April2,2018inMadison,Wisconsin.HerhusbandBillNemecpassedawayin2001.BothwereextraordinaryPathvolunteers!

Herfamilywrote"Shefoundtheoutdoorswouldbringpeacebytakinglongwalks,andcanoeinglakesandrivers."

BettywasactiveinaprogramtoreintroducenaturalprairiegrassintheregionandshetaughtNatureClassesattheMortonArboretum.TheNemecsattendedthePath'sNationalRecreationTrailinductioninWashington,D.C.withtheirfriend,PathFounderMayWatts.BillproudlypostedtheveryfirstIllinoisPrairiePathsign.

Intheearlyyears,whenthePathwasstillan“idea,”Bettyrealizedthatitwasimportanttodocumenteverything.AsthePathHistorian,Bettycollectedandpreservedalloftheoriginaldocuments(newsletters,maps,flyers,boardminutes,correspondence,newspaperandmagazineclippings,legaldocuments,awardsandfilesfromspecialprojects).Theseearlydocumentscapturethehistoricstruggles,conflicts,andtheFounders'achievementsastheyattemptedtosecuremilesofabandonedrailroadlandforapublicpath.ThedocumentsarepreservedinthePath'sArchivesatNorthCentralCollege.

ReadBetty'snotetothePathonits50thAnniversary:http://ipp.org/pdf/newsletter/SeptemberOctober2013.pdf

The Illinois Prairie Path Newsletter September / Fall 2018

MichiganLily

IllinoisPrairiePathAnnualMeetingSunday,November4

2p.m.to4p.m.GlenEllynLibrary-MeetingRoomsA/B

400DuaneStreet/60137


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WinfieldMoundsRegionalTrailOpeningTheWestBranchDuPageRiverRegionalTrailConnectswiththeIllinoisPrairiePath'sGenevaSpur

OnJuly11,ErikSpande,WinfieldVillagePresidentandIPPcPresident,and

DuPageCountyofficials,presidedovertheopeningofthe3-mileWinfieldMoundstrail,whichisoneofthelastcriticalconnectionsinthe25-plusmileWestDuPageRiverRegionalTrailsystem.Duringhisremarks,Mr.Spandestatedthat"Thisregionaltrailisatestamenttocitizenactivism,partnerships,andperseverance."

CitizenActivismIn2007,ninevolunteerswereappointedtoaWinfieldRIverwalkCommittee.Originally,thetrailwasplannedonthewestsideoftheriver.ThislocalgrouppushedtohavethetrailontheeastsideoftheriverandthroughdowntownWinfield.Forestpreserveplannersagreed,sowhatbeganasacitizenaspirationresultedinasegmentofaregionaltrailinWinfield.Anearlyhistoryisathttp://www.winfieldriverwalk.com/.

PartnershipsThereweremanypartnersthatworkedtocompletethenewtrail.Spandecontinued,"TheForestPreserveDistrictofDuPageCountyhasbeentheleadonthisprojectandtheirdedication,expertiseandresourceshaveshownushowtheytrulyareguidedbytheirmissionforbeneficialuseoftheforestpreserve."NorthwesternMedicineCentralDuPageHospitalgrantedthevillagealong-termeasementonthelandwherethetrailwasplannedbytheRonaldMcDonaldHouseandTownCenter.OtherpartnersincludedtheWinfieldParkDistrictandourIllinoisPrairiePath(c).

PerseveranceThenewtrailwasa10-yeareffort.Spandeexplained,"Findingfundingfora$3milliondollartrailfromtheCongestionMitigationandAirQualityImprovementProgram(CMAQ)wasnosmalltask.Welearnedbydoing.Partnerssubmittedthefirstgrant.Wemadeagreatcase.Wemetallthemetrics,butwewereturneddown.Wesubmittedasecondgrant,andlostagain.Sowedidsomemorework,somepreliminaryengineering,andsubmittedagrantforthethirdtime.Andwewona$2Mgrantforthe$3Mproject!"

TheWinfieldRiverwalk:• Improvesconnectivitythroughouttheregion• Hasimprovedourcommunityspiritthroughsuccessfulpartnershipsandgrassrootsvolunteersupport• Is10feetwide,mademostlyofcrushedlimestone• Featuresan80-by-14-footprefabricatedbridgeanda640-footboardwalk• Enhancesecologicalrevitalizationofexistingbutdegradedwoodlands• Improveshealthandwellnessopportunitiesinanaturalenvironmentforcitizensandschools

ThetrailwillbethebackboneforafutureRiverwalkParkindowntownWinfield.TheWinfieldRIverwalknon-profitisanadvocateandtheparkisintheplanningstages.Spandeconcludedbysaying,"Astheoldclichégoes,manyhandsmakeforlightwork,andthereweretrulymanyhandsthathelpedmakethePathareality."

AnONLINEMAPofWinfieldRiverwalkisavailableat:http://www.dupageforest.org/news/upcoming-projects/west-dupage-river-trail-winfield-mounds-west-dupage-woodsClick:ProjectDocuments:WinfieldMoundstoWestDuPageWoods

(LtoR)CuttingtheOpeningDayribbonare:ErikSpande,President,WinfieldVillage;JoeCantore,President,ForestPreserveDistrictofDuPageCounty,andAlMurphy,District6Representative.


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DuPageCountyBiketoWorkEvent

RepairingPathAmenities

WheatonBikeFestival

OnJune26,throughrainyweather,DuPageCountyChairmanDanielCronin,CountyBoardmembersandotherenthusiastsbikedtoworkontheIPPfromElmhursttotheCountycampusinWheaton.

ThePath'skioskatMilemarker0/VolunteerPark,originallybuiltbyLegacyVolunteerPaulMooring,isinneedofrepair.IPPcVolunteerBoardmembersKenMcClurg(pictured),ErikAndersen,ErikSpandeandDennisTerdyareupgradingtheparkareaandstructureswithPathfunds.

OnSaturday,August2,IPPcVolunteerBoardmembersJeffFriedmanandRobSperlhostedtheIllinoisPrairiePathdisplayforallparticipants.

ThanksforinvestinginthePath!MEMBERS

BoyScoutTroop4107BradBalkeDaveBrittonScottBuck

Richard&KellyByrnesJimDresselDaveDuve

DavidEspositoDennisFeibrandt

Debbie&EdForemanGregHippSteveHyett

SteveLangfordWilliamMcViskZacharyNauthLorenH.OuryCathyPetersenFrankSimonoJohnStaerk

DONATIONS/GIFTS/GRANTSRobertBahrey

HamillFamilyFoundationGraingerMatchingGiftsProgram

KenKraussDeborahOrman

J.A.PooleWheatonGardenClub


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EarliestDaysoftheTinleyCreekTrail(SouthCookCounty)TrailAdvocacy:AFamilyTraditionbyFlorenceTerdyFlorenceTerdy,95,whovolunteersregularlyatvariouslocalagencies,residesinCarmel,CA.Inthespringof2011,theCookCountyBoardpassedaResolutionrecognizingherearlybiketrailefforts.SheisthemotherofDennisTerdy,IllinoisPrairiePathboardmember.

Backinthelate1960’sand1970’smyhusbandandIownedasmallbakeryinOakForest,Illinois,calledLittleBill’sBakeryandCoffeeBar.Theownerofalargefarmparcel,Mrs.Levowitz,wasaregularcustomeratthebakeryandafriendofmine.Atthetime,shewasnegotiatingwithCookCountytosellherland,whichranfrom159thStreetonthenorthbetweenCentralAvenueontheeastandOakParkAvenueonthewest.TheLevowitzfarmlandandhorsefarmwasfrequentedbythencurrentradioandtelevisionpersonality,ArthurGodfrey,whostabledhishorsesatthefarm.

ThroughMrs.Levowitz,IlearnedabouttheproposedsaleofherlandtoCookCountyandtheirplanstobuildagolfcourse.(NowCookCounty’sGeorgeW.DunneGolfCourse).Knowingaboutthispendingsale,Ithoughtitwouldbeniceifsomeofthislandcouldbesetasideforabikepath.Afterthesale,Mrs.LevowitzmovedtoPontiac,ILandtheCounty’splansforanewgolfcoursesoonbegan.

Inthe1960’sand1970s,theCookCountyForestPreserveshadseveralbridletrailsconnectedwestintothePalosarea.Horsebackridingpopularitywasdecliningatthetime,andIwasstruckwiththeideaofhownaturalitwouldbetoconvertsomeofthesebridletrailsintobikepaths.First,IbeganbytakingPolaroidphotosofopengaragesinOakForesttodemonstratetheprevalenceofbikesandtheneedforfamiliestoenjoybikingbeyondlocalsidewalks.

Next,sinceourbakerywaslocatedonhighlytraffickedfour-laneCiceroAvenue,Idecidedtouseourlargeroadsidesigntoinitiateapetitiondrivetofurtherdocumentlocalcommunity’sinterestinabikepath.Iinvitedcustomers,others,andanyonewhostoppedtoshowtheirinterestinabikepathbysigningthesepetitions.Atthistime,alocalIllinoisHouseMembertookaninterestinthisbikepathproject.Heaskedmetocontinuethepetitiondriveoverthenextseveralmonthsandtodelivereachbatchofnewsignaturestohisoffice.

Finally,withstronglocalsupportfromOakForest’sMayorKelly,ourlocalIllinoisHouseMember,andlocalbusinessandcommunitymembers,Iaskedforameetingwiththemedia,ofcourse,andrepresentativesofCookCounty.Themeetingwasheld,andbecauseofthismeetingandthestrongdisplayofinterestandlocalsupportforthebikepathidea,CookCountybegantheprocessofintegratingabikepathintotheirlong-termplans.Althoughittookseveralmoreyears,theideaofabikepatharoundtheGeorgeDunnGolfCoursewasrealizedinthelate1970s.Soonafter,itwasjoinedtoaseriesofnewlyconvertedbridlepathsinPalostobecomewhatisnowthenorthernsectionoftheTinleyCreekTrail.

ANONLINEMAPofTinleyCreekTrailisavailableat:http://fpdcc.com/preserves-and-trails/trail-descriptions/-tinley-creek

ThisPalePurpleCornflower,canbefoundatFounder'sParkinWheaton.(PhotobyLarrySheaffer)MayTheilgaardWatts,PathFounder,hadavisionthatapublicpath,alonganoldrailroadline,wouldhelpmanygenerationsdiscovertheimportanceandbeautyofnativeplants.BecomeacitizenscientistthroughtheBudburstprogramsponsoredbytheChicagoBotanicGarden(https://www.budburst.org/aboutus).IfyoujoinBudburstandcollectdataonnativeplantsalongtheIllinoisPrairiePath,pleaseshareyourdatawithus.Thanks!