When you walk the path by the river, a stone's throw from the nearest houses, the feeling of community is tangible. People who don't live in the neighborhood still benefit from it. When the soil from these modifications is dumped along the sides of the river, the resulting banks, or spoils, are extremely steep, making access to the river difficult. On any given weekend in warm weather, as many as thirty people may use the informal launching area. Of course, not everyone is in favor of opening the river.
Some neighbors complain about nonresidents taking up parking space.
Parking may also become less of an issue as the city follows through on plans for public canoe launches at places such as Foster Dam and Clark Park. Despite these concerns, Leki says, it is rare to find people who are against improving the river. Northcenter is still a work in progress. Community members, organized by street, continue to meet on an annual basis to discuss future plans. The group recently joined the Neighbor Space Program run by the Planning Department of the City of Chicago.