Bridging Gaps, Building Community In Evanston

Evanston IL

24 November, 2021

3:58 PM

Description

Press release from the City of Evanston: 11/24/2021 8:55 AM CTA Purple Line operators and staff with Evanston artist Mark Cleveland (right) at the Howard Street Station. CTA Rapid Transit Operator Tony Jones crosses the North Shore Channel bridge in Evanston every day on his route between Linden and the Loop, safely transporting Purple Line passengers to work, school and everywhere in between. Now, thanks to a group of neighbors and a local artist, he can take the bridge home with him and hang it on his wall. On Tuesday, community members and Evanston artist Mark Cleveland stopped by the CTA Howard Street Station to present Jones and his fellow Purple Line operators with an original painting of the bridge that spans the channel between the Central Street station and Linden Avenue station, which CTA operators refer to as "Linden By The Lake." The gift was a token of appreciation and thanks for the essential workers who've transported them and their families safely throughout the pandemic. Artist Mark Cleveland at work creating the painting that was provided to CTA staff. And it isn't the only way neighbors have shown their support for essential workers. CTA purple line operators rolling past Hole 12 at Canal Shores Golf Course have also been buoyed by inspirational and rotating daily messages, including "Tough times don't last, but tough people do," "Keep calm and conduct on," and "Conductors! Have an 'L' of a Mother's Day." This press release was produced by the City of Evanston. The views expressed here are the author's own.