A Look Back at 2023
The biggest milestones, best photos, & a few parties to wrap it all up!
“Wild Mile”stones
This year we achieved many memorable milestones in our ongoing commitment to transform urban waterways into wildlife sanctuaries. In just 365 days, we had:
31,000+ visits to the Wild Mile
3,500+ people attended an Urban Rivers program
1,350 people connected with our mission through outreach at public events
1,000+ students educated on a free field trip
850 attendees at the 2nd Annual Wild Mile Block Party
700+ active River Ranger volunteers
105 species of birds spotted and counting
18 free summer workshops hosted
1 resident Chonkosaurus who went viral and stole the Internet’s heart
End of Year Holiday Party
Join Urban Rivers staff, volunteers, and partners for a festive end-of-year celebration at Off Color Brewing Thursday December 7th 6:00pm-9:00pm!
We’ll enjoy beer and (free) snacks, play some board games, and reflect on our favorite river-centric memories of 2023. Plus, select beers will be donating $1 per pour to Urban Rivers! All are welcome - come ready to make some new friends in the river-loving community.
RSVP for the party at eventbrite.com/e/urban-rivers-holiday-party
Best Photos of the Year
The winning photos speak to the beauty and personal experiences of our parks, spanning four different categories. We are grateful for all who shared their moments of color, wonder, and joy on the Chicago River. We hope you enjoy them as much we do!
Best of Wildlife & Best Overall
Black-Crowned Night Heron
by Jesse Vega Gonzales
Best of People
River Ranger Kayaking
by Kaitlyn Tran
Honorable Mention
Flowers in Focus
by Giada Morresi
Best of Landscapes
Sunset at the Wild Mile
by Maddie Demo
Best of Humor
Smiles Despite the Rain
by Laura Christine Derks
Honorable Mention
Cliff Swallows
by Jesse Vega Gonzales
You can check out all submissions at https://www.urbanriv.org/photo-contest-2023
Wild Mile S’mores Party!
Sweet treats to welcome winter!
The newest addition to the Wild Mile is a state-of-the-art propane-powered fire pit, and we can’t wait to use it! Bundle up and join us for a cozy evening on the boardwalk on Friday December 15th 6:00-7:30pm, roasting marshmallows, sipping warm drinks, and enjoying the weather of a (hopefully) mild winter.
Thanks from the Team
No silly office insights today - just a heartfelt “thank you!” from the Urban Rivers team. Everything we do is motivated by our love for the community, and this year, we’ve felt that love returned like never before. Whether through shouts from the crowd of 850 smiling faces at the Block Party, or from the simplest interaction with a first-time River Ranger, your cheerleading makes a difference.
We forgot to take a team picture when the weather was nice, so here’s a picture of Bubba, since this project mostly orbits around him anyways.
