The Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal is getting a new moniker — in all likelihood — through a community-driven process that asks the public to weigh in and vote on a name this week.
Until 5 p.m. on Friday, November 7, 2025, voting will contribute to results for renaming the canal based on a list “derived from a public outreach campaign that included a widespread survey, community conversations and subject matter experts," stated Bold Past, Bright Future, the coalition spearheading the name change.
Canal names included in voting are:
- Chicago Portage Canal
- Chicago Shipping Canal
- Chicago-Lockport Canal
- Illinois Prairie Canal
- Southwest Canal
- Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal (keeping the current name)
As previously reported here in the McKinley Park News, removing the stigmatizing term “sanitary” from the name is primary driver for the change.
Coalition Members
Also as previously reported, the Bold Past, Bright Future coalition includes many local and regional groups, including Friends of the Chicago River, the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago and the Little Village Environmental Justice Organization.
A map from Bold Past - Bright Future illustrates the canal's flow from Chicago's McKinley Park neighborhood to Lockport, Illinois.Voting on the canal name is available on the Bold Past, Bright Future website at https://www.boldpastbrightfuture.org/naming-committee
125th Anniversary
Friends of the Chicago River noted in an announcement how this name change marks the 125th anniversary of the reversal of the Chicago River’s flow, “celebrating its historic role in protecting public health and ensuring safe drinking water.”
The Bold Past, Bright Future website said that the name change process will continue into winter following voting results.
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