A great city’s history flows along its rivers, canals
The histories of Chicago and Paris are the histories of our waterways. While our great cities are separated by an expanse of ocean, we are bound together by the futures that flow through our rivers.
In Paris and Chicago today we are reimagining, redeveloping, and reinvesting in our famous waterways. And we are not alone. This week we are co- hosting the first of its kind Urban Waterways Forum in Chicago, where mayors from 17 cities on five continents will come together to shape the futures of rivers, lakes, and oceanfronts in cities around the world.
From Paris to Chicago, Buenos Aires to Belgrade, and Mexico City to Milan, mayors now see urban waterways as pathways to prosperity. Rivers that were the commercial highways of the industrial age are being transformed into the urban sanctuaries of the 21st century, drawing residents and businesses to their banks in ways we could not have imagined just a few years ago. The economic, environmental, and social benefits for cities in harnessing the value of their waterways is now beyond doubt.
In Paris, we are witnessing nothing less than the reconquest of the river Seine. Vehicles have been removed from the right bank of the Seine, mirroring the left bank, and the road is being replaced with new parks, gardens, restaurants and cafes. This initiative is central to our efforts to cut toxic air pollution, improve public health and tackle climate change. We have reclaimed this iconic area of the city for pedestrians and cyclists creating a wonderful new space for Parisians, and those who love Paris, to enjoy.
In Chicago, we are building bridges to connect communities with the shores of Lake Michigan and rebuilding our entire 18- mile Lakefront Trail. A generation ago, it would have strained credulity to imagine jogging or eating lunch along the riverfront, let alone kayaking or canoeing in the river. But that is precisely what is happening today thanks to the new Riverwalk and new boathouses in four neighborhoods along the river. It is now possible to imagine a future with a continuous riverfront trail connecting neighborhoods throughout the city, when parents fishing with their children in the river is as much a part of summer in Chicago as a day at the beach on Lake Michigan.
We know precisely what can be achieved when mayors, local leaders and citizens work together to create sustainable and economically prosperous cities. Paris and Chicago are leading members of the C40 Cities network, which brings together 90 of the world’s greatest cities to tackle climate change. As urban leaders from around the world unite in Chicago this week, we will be exchanging ideas, sharing solutions, and drawing the blueprints for a future along the water that our children can inherit and be proud of.
Our mission is to bring our waterways from history into modernity in a manner that is both economically and environmentally sustainable. We share a vision for waterways that are inviting, productive, and living ecosystems where the best of the natural world and urban environment coexist.
In some areas, that means new hotels, restaurants, office towers, and shops. In others, it means new parks and playgrounds, arts and cultural programming. Our waterways are not just economic engines but sources of civic pride, celebration, and tradition. It is incumbent on us to protect and preserve whilst investing in their futures.
Every city around the world is now looking afresh at their urban waterways. We are proud that Chicago and Paris are on the forefront of a future that will improve the economy, environment, and quality of life for our citizens and millions of city dwellers around the world.
At an Urban Waterways Forum in Chicago on Monday, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo will meet with other mayors from around the world to discuss the future of rivers and canals that flow through cities.
“So quietly flows the Seine that one hardly notices its presence. It is always there, quiet and unobtrusive, like a great artery running through the human body.” Henry Miller
“One of the hallmarks of Chicago is that we do so many things in an original manner. What other city hasmade a river flow backwards?” Mike Royko Urban leaders from around the world unite in Chicago this week.