May 2014 Lake Michigan.
For me, Gary, Indiana is to Chicago as Newark is to New Jersey. My only data collection for these locales has been from the highway. The data has not been pretty for the last 20 years. Lots of factories, rail yards and smoke stacks.
On May 29, 2014, I went off highway to see what I would “Find In Our Water” in Gary, Indiana on Lake Michigan. Primary source research generally provides a surprise or two and this adventure was no exception.
As I approached, I saw many shuttered homes and businesses. 
As I approached the water, first I tried to enter the ACC Railroad Yard. There was a 10 foot chain link fence with a razor wire topper. I DO have my boundaries these days. Next, I tried a large factory with no signage. I was encourage to fill out a form for permission to visit. Fair enough. I saw a “Marquette Park” on my IPad and headed in that direction. As I approached this area, the housing and businesses gradually showed habitation and gentrification. I passed a train stop going into Chicago with a bulging parking lot. I was very interested to see what I would soon discover.
Marquette Park is off Dunes Highway in Gary, Indiana. It is one of the more surreal public works I have experienced. The landscaping and the buildings had a colossal European feel to them. I would be curious to know who made this aesthetic choice.
AND NOW, CLICK HERE FOR THE Beach
As you could observe, the beach looks and sounds mighty fine. You can see there are trash cans and I am happy to report, they are being used! I did find treasures to make a Lake Michigan sculpture but it will be a small one. Is this a reflection of the almost Disneylike park created here? Does it matter as long as the results are clean beaches? Do clean beaches mean clean water? See my following discoveries:
Release Date: 04/26/2014
Contact Information: Peter Cassell, 312-886-6234, 312-859-9614 (cell),
CHICAGO – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today announced the award of two Great Lakes Restoration Initiative grants totaling $1 million to fund green infrastructure projects in Chicago.They have received 70 million over the past decade and the water quality HAS improved. Click following for entire article:http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/0/F456A5DF5ADBA38985257CC6005D558C
One of my main concerns is the potential probability that fish will no longer serve us as a source of protein in my lifetime. Fish Advisory Lake Michigan: According to the Fish Advisory brochure As I found in lake Superior, it is recommended that women and men east one meal or less per WEEK. Listen to two men I interviewed at the Marquette Park in Gary, Indiana.