WHO: The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD), U.S. Senator Dick Durbin, Village of Robbins, the Cook County Board of Commissioners, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and instrumental partners. 

WHAT: A groundbreaking ceremony will be held on an ambitious stormwater manage- ment project in the village of Robbins that will lead to new community opportunities while also protecting residents and businesses from flooding.

WHERE: 3100 W. 135th St., Robbins, IL

WHEN: Friday, August 12, 2022, at 11 a.m.

The MWRD is working with Robbins to help mitigate local flooding, restore Midlothian Creek and create recreational and economic development opportunities to strengthen and revitalize Robbins. The MWRD’s Robbins Stormwater Park and Midlothian Creek Restoration Project will help address overbank flooding through a new stormwater park and pond, along with improvements to Midlothian Creek and an overflow channel that connects to the Cal-Sag Channel. The park stems from the MWRD’s initial plan to address flooding along the creek dating back to 2014. From that initial work, a series of partnerships have led to new opportunities of growth and community benefits for Robbins.

Midlothian Creek is a tributary within the Little Calumet River watershed. A large part of Robbins is within the floodplain of Midlothian Creek on top of historical wetlands. The flat terrain compounded by a lack of stormwater infrastructure and eroded Midlothian Creek banks have led to frequent flooding and caused pollution into the waterways. Thanks to the support of various partners like the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Chicago District, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, OAI, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Cook County, the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP), Chicago Community Trust and officials at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs, the MWRD was able to expand the project beyond stormwater protection to positively impact the larger community.

Robbins Ground breaking MA.pdf