Yes we can… get to the Obama Center without driving
I don’t think there’s much I can say about today’s Obama Presidential Center Grand Opening that hasn’t already been stated in the dailies, except that personally I viewed it as a great day for Chicago, and it made me feel proud to be an American for the first time in a while. Also, it bears repeating that Windy City straphangers owe the former POTUS a “Thanks Obama!” for his role in securing funding for the CTA’s Red and Purple Modernization Program, before handing over the White House keys to the Creamsicle-colored criminal. Oh, and to my late-middle-aged ears, the joyful music at today’s public gala, from Springsteen to Stevie Wonder, was really great.
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So I’m just going to present this post in gallery form. For the nitty gritty on how to access the Obama Center, which opens to the public tomorrow, via CTA, Metra, and Pace, check out this detailed guide from the Regional Transit Authority. And, of course, the cultural institution’s near-lakeside location makes it fairly easy to access by bicycle or e-scooter from the Lakefront Trail.
Here’s some of what I saw today. All images by yours truly.
Watching Obama’s speech from outside the gated Midway with a fellow bike rider.
Just for fun, here are a couple of clips from the music performances.
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