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With North Branch Trail Opening Set, Effort To Capitalize On It Advances

 Bicycles and cars ride through the 6100 block of Central Avenue in Edgebrook, where the planned extension of the North Branch Bicycle Trail is slated to cross Central Avenue.
Bicycles and cars ride through the 6100 block of Central Avenue in Edgebrook, where the planned extension of the North Branch Bicycle Trail is slated to cross Central Avenue.
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DNAinfo/Heather Cherone

EDGEBROOK — As Chicago bicyclists and runners celebrated the news that the first phase of the North Branch Trail extension will open Sept. 21, others saw dollar signs popping up all along the trail from Edgebrook to Mayfair.

A group led by Edgebrook resident and community organizer Jac Charlier that hopes to harness the interest generated by the three-mile trail extension to boost economic development efforts in areas along the trail has hit the trail running.

The group will meet for the third time at 3:30 p.m. Sept. 17 at the Edgebrook branch of the Chicago Public library, 5330 W. Devon Ave., Charlier said.

"We have to move away from the ideas that bicycle trails are just about fun," Charlier said. "You have to make it sustainable with economic development."

Everyday Edgebrook, which is working to bring more shoppers to the area around Devon and Central avenues, as well as the Edgebrook Chamber of Commerce and the Edgebrook Community Association have participated in the group's first two meetings, Charlier said.

One of the founders of the anti-O'Hare noise Fair Allocation in Runways Coalition, Charlier ran unsuccessfully in March's Democratic primary for the 15th District seat in the Illinois House.

For more information about the new group, email jac.charlier@gmail.com.

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