On September 22, 2010, we celebrated the Autumn Equinox at the 31st Street Beach with with OCELOTL-CIHUACOATL, a Native – American organization with ties to Little Village.  We welecomed the fall sunrise over the lake at 6 am.  I was honored to be invited to this special event, with guest maestros from Mexico. 

Public transportation like LVEJO’s proposed 31st Street Bus Route would provide a low cost, low energy method for members of this First People’s group to celebrate their religious and spiritual traditions at the lakefront.

Also, we saw the construction of a new 31st Street Harbor.  The bus route will be important for job access to Burnham Park, the 31st Street beach and the harbor.

A female, African-American construction worker I spoke to told me should could save money on gas and parking if that bus were in place.

Not far from there, I saw an inbound Metra Electric train. The new 35th Street Metra Electric station will be 4 blocks from here.  The Lovana S “Lou” Jones/Bronzeville Station – a new station stop at 35th Street and Federal is scheduled for completion this Fall 2010.  This train provides connection to downtown as well as to the far South Side and Southwest Suburbs.  It even provides access to Northwest Indiana through the South Shore Line!