elevated bloomingdale trail, pulse of 'the 606,' opens to
TRANSCRIPT
Elevated Bloomingdale Trail, Pulse of 'The 606,' Opens
to Massive Crowds
By Alisa Hauser | June 6, 2015 1:02pm | Updated on June 8, 2015 8:39am @DNA_wpb
The 606 Opening Day, June 6, 2015
CHICAGO — On its opening morning, thousands of eager children, teens,
adults and leashed dogs ascended onto the Bloomingdale Trail, a 2.7-mile-
long elevated walking, biking, jogging, skateboarding, wheelchair and scooter
path spanning four Chicago neighborhoods.
Some cyclists were so happy they blared music from their handlebar stereo
systems, while children squealed with delight and dogs explored the dirt to do
some business.
The centerpiece of what's arguably the most anticipated Chicago park in
recent memory, the Bloomingdale Trail — built on a former railroad line that
runs from Bucktown and Wicker Park to the east and Humboldt Park and
Logan Square to the west — has 12 access points where folks can hop on or
off.
Four of the 12 entries and exits are in parks.
Chicagoans are encouraged to use the hashtag #The606Go on social media to
share their own photos and videos.
Check out our map and Q & A guide to The 606 and Bloomingdale
Trail.
"[Before,] it was dirty, ugly, it had nothing. They made this useful," said
Reynaldo Roa, a Humboldt Park resident who has lived near the defunct
railroad line for 16 years but avoided it until Saturday.
Around 8:45 a.m., Roa was standing on the trail, watching from above as his
two sons played in Julia de Burgos Park, 1805 N. Albany Ave.
At the trail's western head, next to the McCormick Tribune YMCA, 1834 N.
Lawndale Ave., Efi Verhek, her husband, Rob, and their two children — one in
a stroller and the other riding a plastic Big Wheel — headed up a circular path
to an observatory with a telescope.
Earlier, the Vershak family had entered the trail at California Avenue and
walked about a mile west to Ridgeway.
"It's been a great, awesome morning so far. It's nice to finally see the trail from
above rather than below," Rob Vershak said.
Alisa Hauser says Saturday's open resulted in 'permagrin':
Mayor Rahm Emanuel at the opening of The 606, June 5, 2015. [Steve Niketopoulos]
A bike parade, led by Mayor Rahm Emanuel, kicked off around 9:45 a.m.
"Are you guys good? Isn't this the greatest?" Emanuel said to folks standing on
the path shoulder as he whizzed by.
Many cyclists were riding very slow or even walking their bikes, due to the
massive crowds.
Near the Western Avenue bridge, a little girl on a scooter veered into the
oncoming lane, prompting a cyclist to shout, "Yo, watch it!"
The girl's father replied, "C'mon, that's intense, this is opening day."
Tom Krystyn, a cyclist and member of Chainlink, an online biking community,
was standing next to his bike as the parade passed.
"It's kind of crowded today. It will take some getting used to, for everyone to
know the protocol," Krystyn said.
More parades, performances and processions atop the trail kept the crowds
going strong all afternoon.
Marching brass band Mucca Pazza walked the length of the trail.
On Humboldt Boulevard, below the trail, revelers danced to live music.
But not everyone waiting for the trail to open got to fully enjoy it on Saturday.
Just after an 8 a.m. ribbon cutting ceremony on Damen Avenue, alongside an
access ramp across from Churchill Park (which is still a construction zone),
Sara Garske, a Bucktown resident, looked wistfully at the people headed onto
the path.
"My fiancee is in Vegas until Sunday night. He said he wouldn't marry me if I
went on it without him. We shook [hands] on it," Garske said.
Sara Garske can't enjoy the trail until her
fiancee returns from Las Vegas. [All photos by DNAinfo/Alisa Hauser]
Children
were eager to ascend the trail from the ramp adjacent to Julia de Burgos Park early Saturday.
Police officers
on The 606.
Cyclist just east of Western Avenue, along The 606.
Cyclist just east of
Kimball Avenue, along The 606.
Boulders at Park 567 in Bucktown.
Ascending onto the trail from Park 567 in Bucktown.
Big wheel on The 606 and bike parking.
A young roller blader enters the trail via Walsh Park.
Crossing the
bridge at Milwaukee Avenue in Bucktown/Wicker Park.
At the festival
along Humboldt Park Boulevard