West Englewood's Green Future Takes Shape: The Englewood Nature Trail Is Coming — and Neighbors Are Helping Design It

By Socialhood News · Il/Chicago/West Englewood · July 30, 2026

A former railroad right-of-way running through the heart of Greater Englewood is on track to become something the neighborhood has long deserved: a lush, community-designed nature trail. The Chicago Department of Planning & Development and the Department of Transportation are leading the framework process alongside a design team that includes Gensler, PRI, and Botanical City Landscape — with Grow Greater Englewood (GGE) at the center of it all, steering community participation through six monthly meetings this summer and fall.

Those meetings aren't just a formality. Residents and stakeholders are being asked to weigh in on everything from public access and trail amenities to potential improvements on surrounding blocks — ensuring the trail, when built, genuinely reflects what West Englewood neighbors want and need. It's part of a multi-year city effort to transform the old Norfolk Southern railroad corridor into a living, breathing green asset for the South Side.

This kind of ground-up planning mirrors the momentum building across West Englewood on multiple fronts — from new housing to business development. The Greater Englewood CDC also just dropped its July 2026 newsletter, with fresh updates from the Englewood Accelerator, an entrepreneur hub offering customized business support and small business development resources through a partnership with the U.S. Small Business Administration. Want to plug in? Follow trail planning updates at chicago.gov and explore business resources at gecdc.org.

Sources:
1. https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/sites/englewood-trail/home/Events.html
2. https://gecdc.org/