Bubbly Creek
Restoring life to the Chicago River goes beyond the Wild Mile
At Urban Rivers our goal is to return habitat to more parts of the Chicago River, especially areas that have historically needed it most like Bubbly Creek.
Gardens accessible by boat, closest launch at Park 571
2828 S Eleanor St.
What is Bubbly Creek?
Bubbly Creek is the nickname given to the South Fork of the South Branch of the Chicago River. Bubbly Creek was historically one of the most polluted sections of the Chicago River, a site for dumping just about anything that meatpacking industry could create. So gruesome that its description in the book “The Jungle” by Upton Sinclair churned stomachs nationwide. We are targeting this infamous section of the river to demonstrate our city’s ability to come together and revitalize something that was once written off. In an area of the river flanked by persistent heavy industry, to create a sliver of wildlife friendly space could have lasting effects, not only on the ecosystem, but on the way these rapidly changing areas are developed going forward.
Our Gardens
In 2022 we partnered with the Shedd Aquarium and the Chicago Park District to bring the first floating wetlands to Bubbly. For several weeks in late fall, hundreds of volunteers and community members turned out to help us assemble, bolt, fill, and plant the garden modules.
Together we installed 3,000 square feet of gardens and planted over 3,000 native plants.
The new archipelago of floating islands provide quality wetland habitat for wildlife, both above and below the water’s surface. The lush native greenery provides food and shelter for animals like insects and birds, and the roots grown down into the water provide refuge for all manner of aquatic species. The roots also filter and absorb pollutants from the water, directly improving the water quality around the islands.
The gardens also transform this industrialized waterway for surrounding human communities. Access to nature and green spaces is not equally distributed in Chicago, and historically marginalized communities on the south side of the city have been disproportionately impacted by environmental degradation and pollution. The gardens improve environmental quality and create new opportunities for communities to connect with the Chicago River. They were built by and for the community, and now local residents have a beautiful space to learn, recreate, and take back ownership of their environment.
Free Kayak Days
Getting out on the water is one of the best ways to connect with a river system, but it is not always accessible to everyone. Boats can be expensive and hard to transport, so we decided to pilot our first Free Kayak Days in Bubbly Creek in late Summer 2023.
Launching out of Park 571, this free weekly program for surrounding communities allowed anyone interested to kayak for free, complete with a kayaking lesson led by our expert staff, and it was met with overwhelming success! In just a few weeks we had over 300 participants join us to explore and experience the Chicago River in this unique way.
We look forward to bringing back this opportunity and more next summer in 2024!
