Date/Time
Date(s) - 09/16/2017
8:30 am - 9:30 am
Location
Tom Ping Memorial Park
Category(ies)
8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
Elected Officials to Make The Big Jump into the Chicago River
Who
Mike Frerichs, Treasurer, State of Illinois
Margaret Frisbie, Executive Director, Friends of the Chicago River
Sonya Harper, Illinois State Representative, Illinois 6th District
Robert Kaplan, Acting Regional Administrator, US EPA Region 5—Chicago
Theresa Mah, Illinois State Representative, Illinois 2nd District
Josina Morita, Commissioner, Metropolitan Water Reclamation District
Mike Quigley, U.S. Representative, Illinois 5th Congressional District
Toni Preckwinkle, President, Cook County Board
Jan Schakowsky, U.S. Representative, Illinois 9th Congressional District
Debra Shore, Commissioner, Metropolitan Water Reclamation District
Danny Solis, Alderman, 25th Ward, City of Chicago
David St. Pierre, Executive Director, Metropolitan Water Reclamation District
Kari Steele, Commissioner, Metropolitan Water Reclamation District
Anna Valencia, City Clerk, City of Chicago
And More
What
On Saturday, September 16, at 8:30 a.m. elected officials from every level of government and representatives from key agencies and advocates will participate in Josina and Friends’ Big Jump into the South Branch of the Chicago River at Ping Tom Memorial Park in Chinatown.
Where
Josina and Friends’ Big Jump will take place at Ping Tom Memorial Park in the river-edge portion of the park which can be accessed from W. 19th St. and S. Wells St. Events will begin with a press conference at 8:30 a.m. in the pagoda after which media will be invited to board a boat to film the 9 a.m. jump from the floating dock in front of the boat house.
Why
Hosted by MWRD Commissioner Josina Morita, and Friends of the Chicago River, Josina and Friends’ Big Jump is a public education event to highlight the collective work that has been done to improve the river’s water quality, and to show our commitment to making the Chicago River swimmable for all. The MWRD has significantly improved water quality in the Chicago River. MWRD says, “Our work on the Tunnel and Reservoir Plan has significantly reduced pollution loads throughout our waterways. With disinfection now in place at our O’Brien and Calumet Plants, the water we are releasing into the river is cleaner than the river water itself. The water quality station nearest to the Ping Tom Park river area is often lower than the IEPA target for the Primary Contact Recreation waters, and tests have shown no human pathogens. In other words, the water is safe for people with normal immune systems.”
Founded in 1979, Friends of the Chicago River is an award winning nonprofit organization whose mission is to improve and protect the Chicago River for people, plants, and animals. With over 6,000 members, volunteers, and online advocates, Friends works to make the river greener and more accessible, while building awareness of the benefits that a clean, healthy river can bring to communities across the watershed. Friends of the Chicago River is working to make the Chicago River one of the world’s greatest metropolitan rivers. For more information on Friends of the Chicago River, please visit our website: www.chicagoriver.org.
