Bike paths in Skokie. Please help!

I have forwarded this to some of my biking friends and would like to request that any of you who can support this plan do so. It will be a wonderful addition to our community.

This is a proposed plan in need of voices to back it.

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Hello Dr. Dave!

Nice speaking with you a few moments ago! I write to request your help with obtaining community letters of support for the Village of Skokie Model Communities grant application. The Model Communities grant program is a federal program providing funds to "Change Policies, Systems and Environments to Promote Healthy Eating and Active Living". The Village is applying for funds to develop engineering and landscape design plans to complete a segment of multi-use (biking, walking, etc) path along the old Union Pacific Right-of-Way between Oakton and Jarvis.

The proposed portion of the path will provide access to the new CTA station at Oakton Street(construction begins in January 2011), and will link north to the new multi-use path between Oakton and Dempster (construction set for 2011), as well as south into Chicago through Lincolnwood. A map showing the proposed route is attached (in green). Clearly, completion of the new path will significantly benefit Skokie residents, and those of neighboring communities, by improving access to alternative forms of transportation, such as the CTA, and providing additional opportunities for recreation.

We are very excited about the opportunity to complete the biking/walking path from Jarvis to Dempster (and beyond). It would be helpful to have a number of letters, including those from residents (perhaps you?), describing the potential benefits of the project. I have attached a draft letter for your review, although it is more applicable to larger entities than regular citizens.

Thank you very much, and please do contact me if you have any questions!

Catherine


Catherine A. Counard, MD, MPH
Director of Health
Village of Skokie
5127 Oakton Street
Skokie, Illinois 60077
Phone: (847) 933-8252
Catherine.Counard@skokie.org

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Link to bike map in Skokie area:

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http://www.egovlink.com/public_documents300/skokie/published_documents/Community%20Development/Bicycling%20in%20Skokie/Bikeway%20System%20Plan%20201000630%207-10.pdf

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[Please copy and paste the above text lines into a browser window.]


Template:

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[Letter of Support Template]

December [___], 2010

Albert J. Rigoni, Village Manager
Village of Skokie
5127 Oakton Street
Skokie, Illinois 60077

Re: Letter of Support – Model Communities Grant Program

[Organization name] is pleased to support the Village of Skokie in its efforts to apply for Model Communities grant funds to connect Downtown Skokie to Lincolnwood, Chicago, and beyond, via the Village’s Community Connections project, a multi-use path corridor from the Oakton Street CTA Station to Lincolnwood’s municipal boundary.

Investing in planning efforts for a multi-use path will not only provide a future connection to Downtown Chicago, but it will benefit [Organization name] as well. Our mission is [mission statement]. This mission benefits the residents, employers, employees, property owners, business owners, and visitors of the area by [list benefit(s)].

[Organization name] will support the Village of Skokie with participating in community planning events and partnering with community leaders to make Skokie an active and healthy community.

[Organization name] has successfully collaborated with the Village of Skokie in the past by [list past collaboration effort(s)], and intends to be a strong partner in this and future opportunities.

We look forward to collaborating with the Village of Skokie on this Community Connections initiative.

Sincerely,
[Organization name]


[Name]
[Title]

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The letter above is a template.