An artist’s rendering of the completed Riverview Bridge, crossing over the North Branch of the Chicago River and under the Addison Road Bridge. The Riverview Bridge will provide a new connection for runners, bicyclists and pedestrians between the paths in Clark Park to the south and California Park to the north. It is a highly touted Chicago Department of Transportation project, along with improvements on the 312 RiverRun. (Epstein Global photo)

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel is touting milestones at the nearly two-mile recreational path connecting the Irving Park, North Center, Avondale and Albany Park neighborhoods with three parks.

Led by the Chicago Park District, the studio ice rink and expansion of McFetridge Sports Center is now complete, and work is continuing to improve California and Horner parks. The Chicago Department of Transportation will also begin construction of the Irving Park Road Bridge. The 312 RiverRun projects are part of the Mayor’s Building on Burnham plan to invest in projects that create new recreational opportunities across Chicago.

“The 312 RiverRun project is yet another example the invaluable resources the Chicago River provides to our residents,” Emanuel said. “While not complete, it is already clear that the 312 RiverRun will create an unparalleled network of outdoor recreational opportunities for residents while boosting neighborhood vibrancy and economic growth.”

The 312 RiverRun project is a collaboration between the Chicago Department of Transportation, Department of Planning & Development, and Park District and continues Emanuel’s goal of developing a continuous river trail system. Once complete, the project will extend across 95 acres and provide residents with direct access to a network of recreational amenities supported by the Park District, including wheelchair accessible baseball fields, fitness centers, playgrounds, an indoor ice skating rink, tennis courts, outdoor pool and boat houses.

The newly opened studio ice rink and expansions at McFetridge is one of the first completed projects at the 312 RiverRun. The facility now houses a 200-feet-by-85-feet ice sheet and a new 100-feet-by-85-feet studio ice rink for competitive and recreational ice skating, hockey and tennis programs, and special events.

“The transformational 312 RiverRun project enhances the quality of lives of community members with access to recreational amenities that are truly second to none,” said Michael Kelly, Park District superintendent & CEO. “The vision and execution of the 312 RiverRun will forever change the face of the riverfront on the North Side for generations to come.”

The year-round facility now offers more classes, new programming, manageable class sizes and more open ice time for public use. McFetridge supports expanded community programming including edge/power skating classes, goalie instruction, 3-on-3 leagues, sled hockey for players with disabilities and specialty figure skating classes. Special events like the annual Figure Skating Ice Show, ice hockey tournaments for the home team River Dogs and the McFetridge Open and Turkey Trot annual tennis tournaments will continue. SMG began managing McFetridge for the Park District in 2012.

“As an avid hockey player, lifelong Blackhawks fan and co-chair of the Congressional Hockey Caucus, I am always excited to see new ice rinks in Chicago,” said U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley (D-5^th). “I join others in celebrating the opening of the rink at McFetridge Sports Center and the ongoing progress of the 312 RiverRun project; and I look forward to the many ways in which it will promote recreation, foster community, and grow our economy.”

Improvements to Horner and California parks will also continue. Construction to extend the bike trail and renovate the baseball fields will start in 2019, following the recently completed addition of soccer mini-pitches and resurfaced four tennis courts at Horner. The Park District recently restored the riverbank at the park in partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The riverbank had previously faced erosion and was inaccessible to visitors.

Construction at California Park will include resurfacing four tennis courts and two basketball courts.

Work will also begin on the Irving Park Road Bridge and Multi-Use Path, which will create a pedestrian and bike path under Irving Park along the west bank of the North Branch. The new under-bridge multi-use path will link California Park to Horner to the north. Work on the bridge will also replace the existing 104-year-old structure and widen the roadway. The new bridge and path are expected to be complete in Summer 2020.

“(The Chicago Department of Transportation) is excited to get started on the Irving Park Road Bridge project, which will improve safety for pedestrians and bicyclists and reconstruct a critical river bridge,” CDOT Commissioner Rebekah Scheinfeld said. “This series of projects that are part of 312 RiverRun demonstrate Mayor Emanuel’s commitment to creating new, active recreational opportunities for Chicago residents in our neighborhoods.”

Construction is proceeding through the winter on another CDOT project, the Riverview Bridge, which will cross over the North Branch of the Chicago River and under the Addison Road Bridge. The Riverview Bridge will provide a new connection for runners, bicyclists and pedestrians between the paths in Clark Park to the south and California Park to the north. Extending more than 1,000 feet in length and 16 feet wide, the new Riverview Bridge will be the longest pedestrian river bridge in the city. It will have an elevation of more than 18 feet where it crosses the river to accommodate recreational use by boaters. Its unobstructed access will also eliminate the need for residents to cross major streets, enhancing pedestrian safety.

Completion of the bridge, expected in summer, and the Irving Park Road Bridge project will establish the full 312 RiverRun, providing a continuous path from Belmont to Montrose.

The 312 RiverRun project is a key component of Building on Burnham, Mayor Emanuel’s comprehensive plan to invest in the Lakefront, the Chicago River, natural areas and recreational opportunities in neighborhoods across the city. The project is also supported by numerous federal, state and local agencies, with funding provided by the Federal Highway Administration, Illinois Department of Transportation, Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning and local sources. Other agencies involved included the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Coast Guard, Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and Illinois Department of Natural Resources. In addition, it required an agreement between CDOT and the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago to lease four parcels of land along the North Branch.

Under Emanuel’s Building on Burnham plan, 985 acres of parks have been acquired and 5.5 miles of waterfront access have been developed since 2011, with continued plans to acquire additional parkland and further develop the waterfront in the coming years.