Local partners Melanie Eckner of the Uptown Coastal Initiative, Kyle Whitehead of Active Transportation Alliance, and Dan Black of Divvy and Slow Roll Chicago shared their collective expertise about historical and current bike infrastructure; opportunities to provide feedback into future bike infrastructure; and bike safety.​

Following the presentations, the group walked along US Bike Route 37, Lawrence Avenue., to the site of the proposed Lakeshore Trail separation and finished the walk at the Margate Park Divvy Station for test rides. Most participants had not previously ridden a Divvy bike, so the rides were a fun way to end the night.

Out & About Uptown's Coast partnered with the Uptown Coastal Initiative to raise awareness of Uptown's lakefront and parks through nine experiential, educational sessions that offer attendees rich opportunity for meaningful engagement with the ecology and culture of this Great Lakes coastal community.

The project connected residents, workers, and visitors, and strengthen links between the well-being of the coastal ecosystem and the health and well-being of those who live, work, and visit Uptown’s coast.

Highlighting local expertise and creating a space for diverse attendees to learn about and explore the area together, each session’s unique lens targeted different subjects and circle back to universal accessibility to and stewardship of Uptown’s coast across a spectrum of disciplines.

At the close of Out & About Uptown's Coast, the Uptown Coastal Initiative team created a toolkit highlighting the different approaches taken and lessons learned to help inform future programming as well as participant stewardship and engagement around sustainability in the coast.
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For more information about Out and About Uptown's Coast, contact coastalinitiative@ica-usa.org.