EDGEBROOK — A paint and mosaic mural along the western portion of the path under the Metra tracks at Lehigh, Hiawatha and Kinzua avenues is finished, and a community celebration will mark the end of the five-year project, organizers said.
A "massive celebration" will take place from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday at the mural, said Jac Charlier, a member of the Edgebrook Community Association board of directors, who has been coordinating the 5½-year-long project.
The second phase of the mural — known as the Neighborhood Connection Project — along the western side of underpass linking Edgebrook, Wildwood and North Edgebrook was completed last summer, with the eastern side of the mural completed in 2013.
For the third year in a row, 30 teens worked on the mural as part of the city's After School Matters program. Artists from the community and Green Star Movement are supervising the teens working to turn the underpass, once a crumbling, graffiti-covered disgrace, into a landmark depicting the area's history and lush vegetation.
Heather Cherone discusses the many delays in the mural's creation:
Now that the two sides of the mural are connected with golden tiles — representing the golden spike that once joined the train tracks across America — it will be the largest public art project on the Far Northwest Side, Charlier said.
The names of those worked on the mural, volunteered or donated money to the project are listed on those tiles, organizers said.
Organizers are looking for donations for the celebration, including a podium, microphone and speaker, pallets to stand on, tables, chairs as well as food and drink.
For more information, email Jac Charlier at jac.charlier@gmail.com.
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