A CALL FOR THE CITY OF CHICAGO AND THE CHICAGO TRANSIT AUTHORITY TO CHANGE THE NAME OF THE CTA BLUE LINE STATION "DIVISION' TO BE HENCEFORTH KNOWN AS "DIVISION/POLISH TRIANGLE"
WHEREAS, The Polish Triangle (also known as Polonia Triangle) is bounded by North Milwaukee Avenue, North Ashland Avenue, and West Division Avenue; and,
WHEREAS, historically the location was considered the heart ofthe Old "Polish Downtown", an area that historian Edward R. Kantowicz characterized as being "to Chicago Poles what the Lower East Side was to New York's Jews"; and,
Whereas, heroes of Poland such as Henryk Sienkiewicz, Jan Ignacy Paderewski, Pope John Paul II, and many others have come through this plaza while connecting with Chicago's Polish Community during its many fights for independence; and,
WHEREAS, The Polish Triangle is not merely a place of historical significance, but very much a current and functioning capital of American Polonia, serving as a geographical anchor to cultural institutions such as Podhalanka Restaurant, The Chopin Theatre, along with the nearby Polish Museum of America as well as the Society for Arts and Pope John Paul Catholic Center for Polish Culture; and,
WHEREAS, Nelson Algren famously referred to Ashland Avenue as "a bridge between Warsaw and Poland", Division Street was home to the Windy City's "Polish Broadway", and Milwaukee Avenue along this stretch has been designated as part ofthe Polish Heritage Corridor by the State of Illinois; and
WHEREAS, few ofthe plaza's many passersby are aware ofthe area's importance in American as well as Polish history; and,
WHEREAS, Given the fact the CTA blue line station of 'Division" is a wholly encompassed tenant ofthe geographical boundaries of The Polish Triangle, it would be appropriate and rightful to honor the cultural significance of the area by incorporating its name into the name ofthe local transportation hub; and therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED, That the City of Chicago, acting in conjunction with...
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